Fatum Amor
by BrokenBone
Summary: "She has fallen ill. And there's nothing I can do.." Rated T for language.
1. Chapter One

**Hey!**

Okay, so some of you who started watching me after I published the preview on my idea for a Highschool-fic might get a little disappointed.. haha..  
>I'm working on figuring out a storyline at the moment. So I've started writing on this one instead, because this one already has a basic story line that I can refer to when I write.<p>

Anyway, this is my new fic.  
>And I might be back for editing later, depends on how many grammar errors you guys find and how pedantic I wanna be, herrherr.<p>

_**Disclaimer:**_  
><em>I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this Fanfiction.<em>  
><em>All them characters are belong to Square Enix.<em>  
><em>Myees.<em>

_EDIT 25/5-12  
>I've updated it a bit, I will be doing it more I'm sure, to make the story flow together.. haha..<br>I'm so bad at getting it together in the first place! Gawd!_

**Enjoy your reading!**

* * *

><p>The sun peeked over the horizon. Showering the city of Bodhum with warm morning light. A breeze swept in from the ocean creating waves that crashed in the stretching plains of sand covering the south beaches of Bodhum.<p>

Few were out at this hour, but that's just how she liked it. No annoying crowds to avoid, no annoying classmates who think that they know her enough to start a conversation and interrupt her training and no annoying friends who tried to keep up with her only to end up begging her to slow down. The only friend who actually where able to keep up with her was Fang, but she always slept in on weekends.

All she had to care about was herself, her pace and the rhythmical booming of music in her earphones that kept her going.

The salty stains from the waves crashed against her skin and sent chilling sensations through her flexing muscles. The breeze filled her hot lungs with cool air, steaming breaths exited her mouth in return. Sweat exit through her pores and tumbled down her flustered cheeks. Her gloved hand quickly wiped it of before resuming the fast pendulum movement her arms created as they swung at her sides.

She used to love it. Running. One of the moments when she truly enjoys herself is on her obligatory morning runs on the beach.

There was not a single soul on the beach that she could se, so she didn't have to look out for someone stupid enough to stand in her way. Relieved, she quickened her pace.

The adrenalin rush that gushed through her body made her feel like she ran in slow-motion. She could feel everything, every grain of sand underneath her sneakers, the warm sun on her skin together with the salty stains and even every little gust of wind playing through her strawberry-blonde hair.

But when she pushed her speed limit just a tiny bit more, going into a sprint, her muscles screamed in pain and her lungs burned due to the lack of oxygen. She panted heavier than she usually did, but kept going, pushing the limit just a little more. Growing more and more worried of her performance.

Worried because she had been growing weaker in the past month and didn't know why, she had been training just as much as always so there were no logical-

_**Whack**_

Her mind instantly went blank.

She didn't know what had happened, one second ago she had been staring straight forward traveling fast. And now, she was staring down at the sand that was rapidly coming closer to her face. Squeezing her eyes shut, she braced herself for impact.

* * *

><p>With nothing to do and roommates still asleep, she had decided on going out for a walk instead of rolling around on her bed growing frustrated waiting for the others to awake. She put on a long sleeved white shirt that exposed her shoulders, a pair of jeans hot-pants and her flip flops. Taking a spin in front of her mirror, she winked at herself. <em>Lookin' good there!<em>

Silently giggling, she sneaked out of her room and left a note on the kitchen counter. Letting her roommates know she had went out, whenever they would wake up that is.. She furrowed her brows and shook her head. Swearing that she would probably be back before anyone even notices she's gone.

She had gone to the beach, thinking that she could stroll there for a moment before getting breakfast. At least that is what she told herself, she mostly went there in hopes of seeing a certain _someone_. Feeling a warm sensation spread across her cheeks, she put her hands there to feel if they were as hot as they felt.

_Busted by myself!_ She thought and rolled her eyes. _It's not like I can help it though, how can one not look up to her? _She thought as she looked around to see if she was alone. Which she was.

Releasing her cheeks, she basked in the warm morning sun, letting it caress her exposed legs and shoulders. Removing the flip flops from her tanned feet she dug into the sand with her toes. The top layer had grew warm already, making her smile.

Thinking that she should cherish such a rare moment of peace, she closed her eyes and breathed in the salty ocean air. The smile never left her lips. She loved the salty ocean air, it made her feel refreshed, alive. She chuckled at herself. _So cheesy.. _

Her ear twitched, a weird tapping sound grew louder. She narrowed her brows, trying to decipher the sound. _It kinda sounds like-..._

_**Whack**_

She fell to the side, her arms pulled up to her chest in shock from the impact. A squeak escaped her lips in the process and melted together with a groan from whatever or whoever hit her.

She could feel a bigger and heavier body collapse on top of her smaller frame. The body on top of her panted heavily, chest expanding and falling quickly. The moment probably lasted for mere seconds, but to the redhead, the awkward moment felt like it would never end. Worst part being her not knowing what to do more than just lay there awkwardly and wait for a reaction while thoughts rushed through her head.

_A blind person?_ Was her first thought.

_No wait, that's absurd... why would a blind person be out running..._

_What if it's a pervert?_

Just as she was about to wiggle herself free, she felt the other person twitch before getting up briskly. "Heavens, stupid beach and it's bloody sand getting everywhere..!" A husky voice grumbled. Recognizing it, she looked up to the person whom the voice belonged to, her eyes widened.

"Lightning?" She said, more shocked than she had intended.

Truth was that she was shocked though, she had seen Lightning on her runs before dodging hordes of people without effort. So she was indeed shocked that Lightning had pummeled straight into her, she's just one person, she was standing still and she was actually quite small..

_Didn't see me standing here?_

Lightning was to busy brushing sand of off her face without it getting in her eyes to even look at the person she had knocked over. But when said person called her name she looked up quickly and removed her earphones.  
><em>Nooo.. let it not be someone I know<em>.. She prayed.

On the ground sat a petite, redheaded girl. She was covered in sand and her pigtails were all messed up. She stared back at her with an expression Lightning interpreted as.. shock? Surprise? Didn't really matter and was not very odd since she had just been knocked over..

She narrowed her eyes in thought, where had she seen this redhead before?

The girl grew nervous under Lightnings gaze, she nervously patted her chest and legs to get some of the sand off before pulling her knees up to her chest and waiting for Lightning to make the next move. Lightnings azure orbs diverted from the redhead as she mulled, the girl took the opportunity to take in her idols appearance.

She had a pair of black sweatpants with a brown tank top on her upper body and white sneakers on her feet. Her cheeks were flustered and together with her panting and the pain in the smaller girls left shoulder suggested that she had been sprinting when they collided.

"Vanille, right?" Lightning suddenly asked, pointing a digit at her. Snapping back to reality, her eyes shot up to meet Lightnings' azure ones. It took some time but Lightning finally placed the girl within her mind, she recognized her from school.

She nodded silently.

"You're a friend of Serahs.." Lightning said scratching her chin in thought.

The girl nodded again.

Vanille was not at all surprised that Lightning had trouble recognizing her. Vanille had been friends with Lightnings sister for years, but never spent any time talking to the older Farron sibling. Also, she had heard from Fang and Lebraeu that Lightning was really bad with faces and names that didn't directly affect her, mostly because "she's a stuck up brat who doesn't give a damn" according to Fang. But every time she said that she would always tilt her head and smile, saying "but I wouldn't want her any other way!".

Their relationship gravely confused Vanille.

Silence grew between them, and realizing that they stared at each other made Lightning look away trying to find something else to look at, but her gaze ultimately ended up on the ground at her feet. She knew Serah would scold her if she didn't treat Vanille nicely, judging by how much Serah talked about her Lightning figured they were good friends.

"Sorry." Vanille twitched. She had heard a lot about her from the younger Farron, so she knew that the older Farron rarely apologized. The sudden apology would had thrown her off her feet had she not already been sitting on the ground.

"Pardon?" She managed after relearning how to speak.

Lightning rolled her eyes and sighed. "Tch.." She reached down and waited for Vanille to take her hand. "I said I'm sorry." She repeated while desperately avoiding eye contact, a light pink hue spread on Lighnings cheeks. Vanille, still bemused, slowly took her hand and let herself be pulled off the ground. Not noticing the change of colour on her companions face.

"Okay.." She said slowly. "I forgive you!" She exclaimed, her bemused expression exchanged with a genuine smile. It was not visible, but her smile made the Farron relax, she had been really tense from the first moment the girl had started staring at her weirdly.

Silence grew again.

Lightning didn't know what to do. This redhead was staring at her all fascinated, almost like she studied her every move, swaying back and forth like some curious kid with her hands clasped together behind her back.

Was she waiting for her to say something?

Do something?

And what in any case?

She grew uncertain, and over the passing moments, she also grew nervous. She desperately tried to look at anything other than the redhead.

Vanille found the situation incredibly amusing. She almost giggled when the older Farron girls eyes kept darting everywhere. Not only that, but her expression changed slightly over time. Her usual stoic expression that Vanille ha seen most of changed, her eyebrows narrowed slightly and her mouth grew tense with a slight frown.

Vanille could not understand why she had not taken the time to speak with Lightning before, she was sure that the older Farron was really nice once you got to know her. She had friends, so she had to be at least a little bit nice in some way. Serah had told her that Lightning was very caring, and used to be very affectionate. She never told her why she stopped being affectionate though, just that she grew to become seriously overprotective.

She hadn't had a thought about speaking with Lightning until a few weeks back. ...okay maybe about a month or two back or so..

She had seen Lightning on her runs several times before-

...and no, it wasn't _only _because she used to look for her so much that she eventually learned which times a day she went for her runs...

- anyway, she had seen Lightning on her runs before and gradually a interest had stirred within her. The silent Farron was so different from everyone she knew, and it bemused her how they were able to share some of their friends with each other yet never really speak with one another. Sure they had exchanged words, but before they had mostly spoken above each others heads rather than having an actual conversation.

Lightnings eyes shot back to meet Vanilles green orbs, making the younger girl jump and innocently smile as a warm sensation once again spread from her neck to her cheeks.  
><em>Busted.. <em>She thought, amused as the older girl crossed her arms to distance herself from her.

Lightning didn't quite know how to handle this. This girl was staring at her all funny. She crossed her arms to soothe herself and was thinking of ditching the redhead and just continue her run. But her muscles and joints already hurt, which killed the lust to continue.

A weird, grumbling sound filled the silence between them. Vanille, who's attention had been straying again immediately shot back to look at Lightning. She had her hand on her stomach, narrowed eyebrows, eyes squeezed shut and her cheeks usual pale tone was exchanged with a steady growing pink. Vanille giggled, earning her a glare from the older girl. She cleared her throat.

"Sorry." She hummed. "I was just about to go buy some breakfast, and it sounds like you're kinda hungry to, so.." Her voice trailed of, internally she doubted Lightning would ever accept the offer and therefore she was hesitant to ask, was it really a good idea?

"My treat." Lightning suddenly said, pulling Vanille out of her internal debate. With widened eyes she looked at the older Farron sibling. Her heart fluttered an her cheeks grew warm. The girl she had admired, looked up to and kinda idolized, for some time now had offered to treat her for breakfast.

_What? What? __**What? **_Lightning thought. _Why are you blushing? _She looked away, again, in search of something other to look at. This girl was strange, to say the least.

Vanille snapped out of her shocked and bemused state and smiled hesitantly.  
>"I.. I c-can really pay myself, you don't have to..."<p>

_Oh god no, not with the stuttering! Please! _Vanille swallowed, embarrassed by her sudden nervousness she decided to stay silent and await Lightnings response.

Lightning rolled her eyes at the girl.

"What would you like to eat?" She asked, ignoring Vanilles stuttering statement. She strode off towards the stairs, not waiting for Vanille to reply.

"Hey wait up!" Vanille grabbed her sandals and ran after her, putting them on when she had caught up to the taller girl. "Why?" She asked.

Lightning replied without turning around to face her.

"Because Serah is not going to be happy if I don't make it up to you. What do you want to eat?"

"Oh..." She sounded more disappointed than she even knew she were.

Lightning felt weird when she heard the disappointment in the younger girls voice. She stopped and turned halfway so she could look at her redheaded companion. Vanilles attention had been wandering again as she mused over the strange disappointment. She therefore didn't notice the older girl stopping and walked straight into her arm. Uttering a faint_ oomph_.

"Oh! Didn't see you there, sorry!" She smiled up at Lightning. "So clumsy..." She added and poked the side of her head with her balled fist and stuck her tongue out.

Lightning shook her head. Bemused about most about this girl. "It's okay." She said and turned back around to resume walking. Vanille followed happily.

"What about over there?" Vanille suddenly asked, pointing towards a minor cafe. Lightning shrugged and followed the girl as she skipped up to the entrance.

Slowly shaking her head, she sighed.  
><em>You'll have to look long and hard for someone more strange than this girl..<em>

* * *

><p>"-s she serious?"<br>Lightning looked up from her magazine. "Wha-?"

Serah had rushed through her open door mid-sentence and held up her phone, apparently reading a text message.  
>They locked eyes. Serah stood there with amusement and surprise written over her face.<p>

Lightning, sitting in an armchair relaxing with a magazine about sports equipment, stared back at her with a puzzled look on hers.

"Is she serious?" Serah repeated, slower this time, almost chuckling in disbelief.  
>Lightning raised an eyebrow. "Exactly who is serious about what?"<br>Serahs smirk grew into a smal disbelieving smile. "Vanille. About you treating her for breakfast?"

"Oh." Lightning stated and turned back to her magazine. "Yes, yes she is." She replied casually.

Serahs jaw dropped. When Vanille told her, she thought her friend had told her about a dream or something forgetting to mention that it actually was a dream that she spoke of, not that it actually happened. Such kindness was not like Lightning at all. Not to friends, and certainly not to someone whom she only know the name of, Serah wasn't even sure Lightning could spot Vanille in a crowd.

"L..Light?" Was all she managed, jerking an eyebrow in surprise. The smile never leaving her face.  
>Lightning tilted her head and looked back up at the younger Farron. "Yes, Serah?"<p>

Serah slowly shook her head from side to side, still having trouble to believe what she just learned. Serah stood in silence and observed her older sister as the latter flipped page after page, eventually stopping to read an article about the latest weight training machines.

"Was it a date?" She suddenly thought out loud. Lightning snapped her head around and stared at her.  
>"What? No." She stated briskly. "You know I don't do <em>dating<em>.." The last word she spat out, clearly disliking it's meaning.  
>"Ligh.. just because you had an awkward first date doesn't mean all dates are-..."<p>

"Tch." Lightning cut her off, rolling her eyes she looked back into her magazine. "I did it because I ran into her and accidentally knocked her to the ground. To say sorry."  
>"To say <em>sorry<em>?"  
>"Yes."<br>"Really?" Serah asked, almost disappointed.  
>"Yes, <em>really<em>."  
>"Hmm.."<br>"_Ergh..._"

Lightning shut her magazine and uncrossed her legs, putting the magazine on her thighs and finally crossing her arms.  
>"I know that you would had been upset with me if I didn't make it up to her. She looked like she hurt when she fell over."<p>

She wasn't planning on telling her sister about herself face-planting the beach anytime soon.

Serahs' face straightened as she thought for a moment. "Yes, I would be very disappointed in you." She said, meeting Lightnings gaze again. The older Farron nodded in agreement.

"And you know we're not talking about that stupid date.."  
>Serah smiled at her and turned around. "I know Light. I appreciate it though, what you did for Vanille, she seemed happy that you had breakfast with her." She said as she walked out of the room.<p>

_Happy? Why? All I did was buy her a crepe.. _Lightning though. Shrugging it of, she recrossed her legs and went back to reading her magazine.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

Don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts and opinions!  
>And please, if you find any grammar errors I have made, please inform me as I wish to improve!<br>Constructive criticism, please! :)  
><em>Thanks!<em>


	2. Chapter Two

**Hey!**

I need to learn that this is my first fic and that it's allowed not to be perfect. Haha.  
>I might be back for editing later.<p>

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

And sorry if I've made any grammar errors,  
>please inform me if you find any =)<p>

Hope you'll enjoy Chapter Two!

_EDIT 25/5-2012  
>I've updated this chapter a bit!<br>I'll probably be back for more if I'm not satisfied.. haha.._

**Thanks!**

* * *

><p>She threw herself backwards, landing flat on the blue covers.<br>"Defeated!" She whined. "...And with my favorite character too.." She pouted and narrowed her brows, mulling over the loss.

She shot a playful glare at the silver haired boy who flashed an apologetic smile in her direction before flipping through the different menus of the game they had been playing for the last hour.

Hope had called her over when Malqui cancelled their plans and his parents left the house. He felt lonely, and Vanille lived only a few blocks away, so why not? He had figured.

And now they were sitting on his bed, playing games and talking about everything and nothing.

Hope and Vanille were good friends even though they didn't hang out as much as she and Serah or he and Malqui. Still, they were part of the same social group at school and they had a few classes together.

"You've got to stop playing games with Malqui all of the time Hope, you're way out of my league.." She grumbled as she sat up and pushed his shoulder with hers. The boy chuckled.

"Maybe you should play with him more? He seem to like you."

"Of course he does, we're friends." She said, chuckling at his obvious observation. Hope shook his head, she was so naive, how could she not see the way Malqui drooled over her whenever she turned away?

"No, I mean like.. he like likes you.. like.." He stuttered, eyeing her desperately and hoping she'd get it. But she just stared at him looking puzzled. He sighed.

"Well whatever.." He shrugged it of. "Doesn't matter."

But Vanille had grown far to busy looking through the characters and checking over their clothes to be paying him any attention anymore. Her eyes fell on a new pink haired character Hope had probably won since she last came over to play.

She was not resembling Lightning in any way, but still Vanilles mind travelled to the Farron. _She would kinda fit in a fighting game though. _She smiled to herself.

"She's kinda bad, weak and flies easily."

Vanille snapped her head to the side to look at him. "How would you know that?" She blurted, not realizing that he was actually talking about the character she still had highlighted on the television screen.

Hope stared at her, bemused. "...Because I've played with her?"

Vanille blinked. Finlay the coin hit bottom and she slapped her forehead with her palm. "Oh gosh, sorry!" She giggled nervously. "Lost in thought! Of course, then I'm just gonna go for another character.." She said and quickly choose one of the other females.

Hope was still severely bemused, but decided to just choose his character and play.

_Lightning, keep out of my head will you? _She sighed.

* * *

><p>The clocks ring stirred her awake. Her eyes fluttered open but were squeezed shut as the bright lights shone through her window, blinding her. She had forgotten to close he blinds before going to bed. <em>Damn it<em>.

She attempted to sit up, but as she began lifting her upper body a kneading pain pulsated through her abdominal muscles. Instantly, she moved to place her hand on her stomach in an attempt to soothe the weird sensation but instead her shoulder started throbbing and caused her to cringe.

_This is ridiculous._ Clenching her teeth tightly she did her best to ignore the hammering in her body as she forced herself of the bed. She got up to her feet and stood there for a moment, trying to relax. And with each deep breath, the pain slowly subsided.

_Finally._ She grabbed her iPod and got dressed. Her body felt stiff and her movement was slower than usual because of it. _Nothing a little run can't fix._ She thought to herself as she proceeded to pull a deep blue tank top over her head. She flicked through her music on her iPod, quickly putting together a playlist for todays run.

The apartment lay quiet, suggesting that Serah were still asleep. So Lightning tip toed through the hallway and kneeled down to tie her sneakers.

~•~

The morning breeze were as refreshing as always. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the salty sea air. Exhaling through her mouth, her breath came out as a content sigh as she watched the water droplets from the crashing waves shine in the morning light. A smile spread across her lips. Not a big one, but a smile none-the-less. She closed her eyes and let her other senses take over for a moment.

The sound of the crashing waves and other aquatic sounds filled her head as her mind slowly grew blank. She could almost feel herself sway along with the waves slow motion. She crossed her arms as to steady herself.

A sweet scent entered her nose and clashed with the salt. _What is this?_ She furrowed her brows as she tried to remember where she recognized the smell from.

"Didn't think I'd see you here."  
><em>I've been looking for you.<em>

The voice was familiar, and Lightning forgot about the sweet aroma and turned around. When she opened her eyes, a smiling girl, dressed in a light yellow summer dress and with a semitransparent scarf hanging loosely over her shoulders, greeted her.

"Good morning!" She hummed happily.

Lightning didn't respond. She eyed the girl from tip to toe, wondering what she was going out of her apartment in these early hours a sunday morning.

Vanille kept smiling, watching the beautiful scenery around them.

Realizing that she had not yet replied to the girls greeting, Lightning cleared her throat. "Morning." She said and turned her head away from the redhead, whom beamed at the reply and apparently took it as an invite to a conversation, despite the unsocial aura that loomed over the Farron.

"You often go to the beach?" She asked, already knowing the answer. She secretly eyed the other girl as she swayed back and forth on her heels.

Lightning sighed as irritation tickled her senses. She didn't feel like talking to anyone, but as she eyed the younger girl, she couldn't find it within her to just shoo her off.

Vanille stood there and tried not to be to pushy by asking her more questions, Lightning could see it in her eyes.

She was growing more impatient by the second and was just about to give up on an answer and ask something else when-

"I run here every morning." The strawberry-blonde finally replied. Vanille turned to look at her. _I know _almost slipped of her tongue, but she bit it in the last second and quickly came up with something else to say.

"Really, you've got a lot of stamina then? Like, you could be at it for hours?"

She received a puzzled and slightly shocked look from Lightning before she realized how suggestive she made it sound.

"Oh gosh, I-I-I didn't mean anything..!" She waved her hands in front of her, blushing furiously in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry!" She smiled apologetically at Lightning who relaxed and looked elsewhere.

_Dammit Vanille, think before you speak will you? _She scolded and her eyes diverted to the ground.

"Well.. I haven't tried for how long I can be at it." She replied while in thought. "-running, I mean!" She added briskly when the fading redness on Vanilles cheeks flashed back into deep crimson.

"O-of course!" Vanille giggled nervously.

An awkward silence filled the air between them.

"You want to go get some breakfast?" She had desperately been searching for something to say to get the awkward tension between them to disappear, when their last meeting crossed her mind. The question had slipped past her lips without her actual approval, it was almost as if her subconscious had commanded her vocal chords for the moment.

_What the hell... is wrong with me? _Lightning scolded herself internally. Very tense, and very carefully, she slowly turned her head a bit to peek at the redhead and see how she reacted to this sudden out of character outburst.

She could swear that her eyes betrayed her, mirroring her confusion and shock, so she dared not look fully upon the younger girl.

Her question surprised the redhead. Their last breakfast together had been quiet to say the least. Lightning had grabbed the nearest newspaper and had been sitting there reading it for the whole time, leaving little space for conversation. Vanille had got the message though, Lightning did only do it because she wanted to pay her back after knocking her over, she was not at all interested in actually hanging out with her.

But her asking now, what did this mean? This time she hadn't done anything, so this couldn't really be a make-up-breakfast like the last time..

Could it be that Lightning actually wanted to spend some time with her?  
><em>..Really?<em> Vanille thought skeptically as she peered at the older girl from the corner of her eye.

She flinched. Lightning was peering back at her in the same manner as she were peering at her!

~•~

Lightning flinched, Vanille suddenly looked back at her, as if she knew she had been looking. She quickly looked away.

"Uhm.." Vanille began slowly. "Sure? If you want to?" She flashed an hesitant and uncertain smile at the strawberry-blonde.

"Tch, why would I propose such a thing if I didn't want to?"

She shook her head lightly in shock at her own words.

_Why did I just say that?_

She actually had no idea why, she didn't even know that she was going to ask in the first place. It just slipped, and now more words were slipping from her lips without her permission. She was beginning to wonder whether she really could trust herself, she must really be exhausted. She had actually felt kinda ill a couple of days now, and then there were this morning...

"Oh. Well in that case!" Vanille chirped and widened her smile. _Perhaps she really do want to hang out? Sweet!_

The girls reaction made some of Lightnings tense nerves relax, getting put down would be a even bigger embarrassment than actually having breakfast with this redhead. She could always grab the newspaper on the way over there.

~•~•~•~•~

"Are you serious?"  
>"...Yes?"<br>"_Really_.."  
>"Yeah why shouldn't I?" Vanille chirped when the waitress turned away. She turned to look back at Lightning, who was giving her a look.<br>"What?" She asked after studying the Farrons skeptical expression or a while.  
>"Crepe? Do you eat crepe for breakfast<em> everyday<em>?"  
>"Only when someone<em> treats <em>me to breakfast!" The girl exclaimed happily and fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously.

Lightnings tongue got stuck in her throat at the girls actions which cause her to clear her throat repeatedly. Unable to protest she turned away to hide her face. Her cheeks burned and she could swear that they were deep crimson.

Vanille giggled, they hadn't actually said anything about Lightning paying for her. She was just joking to see what kind of reaction it would bring. She was going to pay for her own food anyway.

"I-I didn't say I'd pay for yours.." Lightning finally managed after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. Well, to Lightning it was uncomfortable, Vanille found the whole scene amusing, humming happily as she answered.  
>"I know, I was just joking." She smiled. "I'll pay for myself."<p>

Lightning only nodded.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Vanille decided to break it.  
>"You're in senior year, right? Same as Fang?" She asked casually and popped her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her palms. She observed the strawberry-blonde girl in front of her as the light from the partially open window fell upon her beautiful features.<p>

Lightning had forgotten that they shared friends, Fang and Lebreau were the ones she preferred to be around. While she had seen Serah and Vanille with a silver haired boy and another boy their age with spiky, blonde hair. Fang knew all of them, or at least she spoke to them. It wasn't that she didn't care what kind of people Serah hung out with, she definitely did. It was just that she had not heard Serah hadn't mentioned anything about anyone being mean or teasing her in an unfriendly manner. So Lightning didn't bother, Serah had told her the friends she had was nice, and that's all a big sister needs.

Returning to reality, she realized that her redheaded companion was waiting patiently for a reply.  
>She nodded. "Yes, last year of school." Her gaze rested on her hands in her lap as she spoke.<br>"What will you be doing after school?" The redhead tilted her head slightly so that her bangs covered her eyes, protecting them from the sharp sunlight.  
>"Attending the Guardian Corps Academy." Lightning looked up when she finished and met Vanilles gaze. The girl looked a little surprised.<p>

"Really?"  
>"Yes."<br>"Do you want to be a soldier?" She asked, looking down upon the table, but she still observed Lightning in the corner of her eye.

The Farron nodded.

"How come?"

Lightnings gaze diverted to her lap again. Vanille looked back up. Seeing as she somehow upset the stoic girl in front of her, she sat up straight and waved her hands.  
>"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked should I?"<br>To her surprise, Lightning smirked at her apology. "No, you shouldn't." She said slowly and met Vanilles worried and slightly puzzled gaze. "But it's okay." She added.

Vanille relaxed, she hadn't upset her companion, much to her relief. She didn't want to live to see the day Lighning would be upset with her. Only Serah would live through an upset Lightning.

Scenes started playing in her head, scenes where Lightning was mad at her for no apparent reason, and she stood high above her head with crossed arms. Looming over her much smaller frame and glaring at her with those piercing azure blue eyes. A chill ran up her spine only thinking about it, she guessed it would be a hundred times worse if the day ever came. She shuddered.

Lightning shifted. She had no bigger problem with people who space out randomly or people who's attention easily wandered, she always had the option to ignore them. But this girl. This girl always seemed to space out while staring directly at her. And that made her feel uncomfortable. She wasn't used to people staring back at her when she stared at them. Most diverted their gaze when she caught them looking. But not Vanille, apparently.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the waitresses quickly striding towards their table.

Vanille must have seen her to, because she quickly sat back and clasped her hands together, eyes beaming in utter glee. Lightning shook her head. _She's such a kid..._

"Coffee and a bagel, strawberry crepe." The waitress announced as she put the tray down on the table and placed their plates in front of them.

"Thank you!" Vanille smiled brightly at the woman, who only flashed her an appreciative smile in return and then hurried off. Vanille turned her attention to her meal.

Lightning sipped on her coffee while she observed the girl sitting across her through her spiky bangs, not wanting the redhead to catch her peeking. She just couldn't figure this girl out. Why was she so happy all of the time? And not only that, she shows it so very openly.

_And what's up with the pigtails? What could she be, like.. 16? Isn't that a little old to be wearing pigtails?_ She took a bite of her bagel, chewing slowly as she mulled. Vanille were far to preoccupied humming and eating her crepe to notice Lightnings gaze. _...it doesn't look that bad though.._

She shook her head. _Where did that thought come from? _

She looked down into the black coffee. So many things confused her about this girl.

"What are you thinking about?"

The redheads voice was gentle and calm, but it pierced through the Farron as a lance. Not because she suddenly spoke up out if nowhere, but because Lightning didn't know what to reply, she certainly couldn't say the truth, because that would be... _weird_.. to say the least..

_Wait a minute... _

Why did she ask that anyway? Had see noticed Lightning watching her?  
>She was nervous. And it annoyed her. <em>Get a hold of yourself<em>. She muttered internally, and looked up.  
>Their eyes locked. Azure blue met emerald green.<p>

Vanilles heart fluttered and jolts of electricity ran through her body and limbs. She had gazed into those eyes before, but this felt so real. So intense. She didn't know why this was so different from the other times she had met Lightnings blue orbs. But perhaps the scenery added to the intense aura that surrounded them. Vanille tried to swallow, but her throat was desert dry. Her cheeks started to heat up. _Nooo, not now..._

Okay, this was weird. The girl had tense up as soon as she looked at her.  
>It annoyed her how this girl always went from happy to stiff whenever she looked at her.<p>

_Everyone's got eyes, what's up with me looking at you?_

She didn't get it.

Vanille looked down onto her plate.

Lightning shook her head and finished her bagel. What a peculiar girl. A smirk curled her lips.

The morning news lay neatly folded in her lap. Forgotten for now.

* * *

><p>"Where have you been?"<p>

_Shit_.

She had forgotten to tell Serah she went out since she had been sleeping, and the younger siblings voice was unreadable. She didn't know if Serah was upset with her or not.

"Went on a run." She tried to reply as casually as possible. The younger Farron had a temper to match her older sibling, and Lightning knew that. None of them were to be messed with, the Farron gene ran deep within them, and their blood boiled equally hot when agitated.

"Oh, okay." She heard Serah say from the kitchen.

"Yeah, and then I grabbed something to eat. I hope you don't mind?"

"No, it's okay, when you didn't come back for an hour I was so hungry I ate by myself." She peeked around a corner and flashed her a smile.

Lightning, who were in the process of removing her shoes, froze.

_An hour? I've been out for how long?_

Lightning quickly looked at her digital running watch. 11:36. _Three hours? _

Lightning stared at the clock in shock. She had been out for three whole hours.

Her run to the beach took about 50 minutes, depending on her pace. She had been rather slow today, so she guessed that she reached the beach at somewhere around nine.

_And then I met Vanille.. I've been hanging out with her for two and a half hours?_

She was indeed surprised that she had spent so much time with a girl she just knew the name and barely the appearance of.

She shrugged it of however.

"I'm taking a shower." She stated and closed the door as soon as Serah had replied.

* * *

><p>Vanille and Serah pushed the entry doors to their school open and exited. The day was hot as the sun stood high in the sky. It was friday, and their last class had just ended.<p>

"Glad that's over..." Vanille sighed happily, getting an assent hum from Serah.

"Hey, Vanille?" Serah said and looked to her friend, whom looked back at her and nodded. "Would you like to watch a movie at my place later this evening? You haven't visited in a while."

Vanille nodded again enthusiastically. "I'd love to!" She said and smiled brightly. "It's been ages since we had a girl's get together, just the two of us!"

"Exactly, I think it's just what we need after such a heavy week.." Serah sighed. The week had been full of homework, a test and the deadline of a essay they were supposed to do at home.

She turned to Vanille and clasped her hands together. "I'm thinking sweatpants and oversized t-shirts, no need to overdress, okay?"

Vanille smiled back at her. "Right! Got it!" She giggled. "Your place at eight?"

"Eight'll be good!" Serah replied, happy that she had an evening to look forward to.

"Right then! See you later Serah." Vanille jogged of towards her home.

Serah watched her go with the smile still present on her lips.

* * *

><p>"Vanille will be coming over this afternoon. It's okay, right?" Serah kicked herself for forgetting to ask Lightning if it was okay. She usually didn't mind though, so she had ultimately started to take it for granted that Lightning would approve.<p>

Serah was sitting on the couch and watching Lightning as she sat on the carpet in the livingroom, stretching her sides after a long jog.

"Sure, whatever." She replied without looking back at Serah.

"Thanks Light!"

"What will you be doing?" She asked. Sitting with her left leg stretched out in front of her and the other leg bent with toes pointing backwards, she bent down until her forehead touched her left kneecap. Serah watched her, thinking that she should really be working out to. She was just naturally skinny.

"Watching a movie. In the livingroom if it's okay with you?" She replied.

Lightning nodded, still with her forehead touching her knee.

"Thanks. So what do you want for dinner?" She said and got up.

"Something that tastes good." Lightning replied. Serah chuckled.

"What are you suggesting? That I make bad food?" She said, scolding her playfully. Lightning chuckled as Serah left the room.

* * *

><p><em>Fuck<em>.. Lightning grabbed the carpet so hard that her knuckles turned white. _Fuck, fuck!_

She bit back the painful groans the best she could. Her chest, shoulder blades and stomach was tense and pulsated viciously with pain that Lightning hadn't felt before. She tried to breathe deeply, but each breath was cut short by the pain that sent spastic tension through her limbs.

Lightning bit her lip not to groan loudly.

And as quickly as it had begun, it was gone.

Her muscles that had been pulsating just a few seconds ago grew numb and limp. She released a breath she had been unaware of holding in.

_What was that? _She opened her eyes that had been squeezed shut the whole time. She sat up slowly, her muscles felt stiff. He sighed heavily as she slowly got up from the floor. _I think I need a hot bath..._

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

Review, I love reading your opinions and feedback!


	3. Chapter Three

**Okay!**

So, here's the third chapter that you've been waiting for!

And I'm sorry for being slow, I've been busy with working out, Black Butler, getting engaged to my girlfriend and most recently the release of Diablo III and the discovery of Avatar the Last Airbender.. herrherr!  
>I'll try and be quick with the next chapter!<p>

Also, I have edited the other two chapters to work with this one, 25/5 I think it was, so if you haven't read them since then you should, otherwise this chapter might not make much sense.. sorry! ^-^'  
>(I'm bad at keeping it together, but I hope you'll bear with me since this is the first real fanfic that I'm actually trying to complete. I had a few that I threw away prior this one, haha.)<p>

_Thank you for your patience and please let me know what you think in a review!_  
><em>Constructive criticism is always welcome!<em>

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Outside, the sun had slowly started to set when she stepped out of the shower and grabbed her towel. She ran it through her hair and started drying of her body.<p>

A sharp pain shot through her nerve system and caused her to flinch. _What the-? _She briskly searched for the cause of the pain and found on her ribs a huge bruise. About the size of her palm.

She furrowed her brows in bemusement. Confused as of how the bruise may have appeared.

She knew that she had perfect control of every limb, so she couldn't have hurt herself. Not even in her sleep since she mostly lay perfectly still through out the night.

She thought of the previous days and found no other logical explanation to the bruise than when she accidentally collided with Vanille down at the beach. But that was days ago and she had found no bruise the past few days..

A bit disturbed, she decided the collision to be the cause, even though it was practically impossible, and continued her after shower routines.

When she finished, she casually walked out of the bathroom in nothing but the towel she had used. The air in the apartment struck her as she opened the door. It made her shudder, it was freezing!

_I don't remember putting the AC on low..._ She furrowed her brows but dismissed the subject and proceeded to walk to her room.

She was well on her way when she heard Serah chuckle and talk happily, her voice moving towards her. Serah and Vanille rounded a corner and Vanille froze when she saw Lightning walk by.

Her heartbeat sped up, her cheeks burned and caused her ears to ring. She didn't know what to do with herself as she grew more and more embarrassed as the seconds passed by since she could not stop staring.

Lightning had stopped in her tracks and stood there, looking from Serah to Vanille and then back to Serah again.

"Light... you've chocked her.." Serah gave her a disapproving look before grabbing Vanille's shoulders and guiding her to the sofa. "Couldn't you have brought some clothes with you, you knew she was coming over..." Serah added chuckling lightly at her friends red face.

Lightning saw it to. Why did she blush like that? They're both girls so it wouldn't really matter if she had been walking around her apartment naked.

"Well at least I have a towel." She said with a shrug and proceeded to her room.

Vanille's blush deepened even more and her hands flew up to hide her cheeks at the mental picture that appeared within her head.

"..at least you have a towel..." Serah repeated and shrugged in a defeated matter. Silently chuckling to herself while she proceeded to make ready everything for the movie night. Checking if Vanille would recoil from time to time.

* * *

><p>This was a hard thing to process. Lightning Farron had practically walked by her naked.<p>

Okay, she did have a towel, but underneath it she was _naked_!

Seeing her with that stoic expression of hers, wrapped up in a fuzzy, light pink towel with her strawberry blonde bangs sticking to her face and her skin, it was something very intriguing.

It took several moments before she could breathe again, and several more moment before her mind to stop rambling nonsense. She hadn't tried to speak yet, but she was sure that whatever came out would be something embarrassing so she kept quiet.

She noticed that Serah had already brought the goodies in. She had chopped up vegetables and made dip and were in the process of bringing in the soda and two cups.

...where had she been? And or how long had she been gone really?

"You awake yet?" She asked seeing Vanille looking at her as she placed the cups on the table. She was dressed just like she had told Vanille to dress earlier that day. Sweatpants that she had pulled up so that they ended right under her knees and a large t-shirt that Vanille guessed she had stolen from Lightning.

Vanille nodded.

"Quite a chock for you huh? Not really what you expected coming here.." Serah made a mental note to ask Lightning to bring clothing to the bathroom next time they were having someone over.

Vanille chuckled. "No.. not really what I expected.." She admitted. "Everything is ready already? I could have helped you!" Vanille added feeling guilty when Serah plopped down on her right after setting everything up.

Serah giggled. "No, you couldn't.." She said, eyeing Vanille knowingly. Vanilles blush crept back, she pouted.

Serah smiled at her. "You can clean it up later if it makes you feel better. Now, ready to watch a movie?"

She reached over and grabbed the remote and started flicking through the movie rental menu on the television.

Vanille wondered what that knowing smirk meant, but decided not to mull on it.

"Sure! What kind?" She chirped and smiled at Serah, eager to fill her mind with something other than the image of Lightning Farron in a towel that danced on her mind.

"How about..." Serah thought for a minute.

"A scary one?"

Lightning suddenly appeared behind them, she stood there sipping on a cup of tea. The younger girls hadn't noticed her even exiting her room, much less making tea in the kitchen, so her sudden appearance startled them both.

"Light! You scared us.." Serah said as she tried to calm her throbbing heart by putting a hand on her chest. Vanille did the same but avoided looking at Lightning.

"Tch." Lightning smirked. She wrapped the sweater tightly around herself. "So, a scary one or no?"

Serah blinked. "Are you planning on joining us?"

Vanilles heart throbbed against her chest.

The older Farron shrugged and looked elsewhere. "Maybe. If you watch a scary one." She took another sip from her cup, eyes still diverted.

Serah smiled at her, she knew Lightning loved watching horror movies, but she was still curious. Lightning had not shown any particular interest in hanging out with Serah and her friends before, and if she really wanted to watch a horror movie she could do so in her room.

She shrugged it of.

"I don't mind watching a horror movie." She said and looked to Vanille.

~•~

She _hated_ horror movies. The last time she watched one she couldn't sleep for days and she had a flashlight with her at all times, just in case she would find herself somewhere dark.

"Sure."

_What? _Why did she just say that?

She knew herself that she hated horror movies, and she shuddered just thinking about it, then why did her vocal chords just act on their own?

_**Thwump**_

Vanille froze.

Soft, strawberry-blonde bangs brushed her cheek.

Lightning had just swung herself over the sofas backboard and plopped down between her and Serah. All without spilling a single drop of tea.

_She's so close...  
>...wait!<em>

She shook her head and moved to the side, giving Lightning some more space.

Her belly tingled, her palms grew sweaty and if someone didn't say anything soon, she would most certainly go insane, she was about to suffocate in the thick air that surrounded no one but her.

"This one?"

_Thank you Serah.. _Vanille released a breath she had been unaware of holding. She clasped her hands together to stop them from tugging at the hem of her sweater.

"Sure."

Hearing Lightnings husky voice so close made shivers run up her spine. Vanille grew confused, why would she grow so nervous just by sitting next to Lightning? It wasn't like this was the first time they were close. She had been just as close when they happened to sit next to each other at lunch in school when Fang had come to sit with Lebreau whom had been sitting with Serah, herself, Maqui and Hope. And Vanille had not felt nervous back then.

And then it was this time on the beach just last weekend, when Lightning crashed into her and landed on top of-

"Vanille?"

She flinched and quickly looked to Serah. The Farron sisters were both looking at her, apparently waiting for an answer.

"Whaa-?" She smiled sheepishly at Serah who chuckled.

"Do you want to watch this one?" She gestured to the television screen.

"Err sure." Vanille mumbled after a quick glance at the movie cover and text present on the screen.

When she looked back, her eyes locked with Lightnings piercing azure blue orbs, just for a split second, before Lightning diverted her gaze back to the screen and silently continued sipping on her tea.

Up until now, Vanille had not thought about what she was wearing, but being this close, she could see that she was wearing a thick sweater on top of a thinner one. _Odd, two sweaters? But it's not even cold in here?_

"Okay, all done."

Serahs exclamation made her return her attention to the screen an forget about the double sweaters. She almost gulped, it wasn't until now that she noticed that the movie they had chosen was a ghost movie supposedly based on true stories. And it didn't help that Serah tuned the lamps down so they were sitting in almost complete darkness.

She peered at Lightning out of the corner of her eye. She had to be brave no? She couldn't be frightened in front of her idol, right?

So she put on a brave face as the movie started.

~•~

Half an hour later, screams and paranormal moans were all that could be heard in the apartment.

She had long ago closed her eyes and hid her face in the palms of her hands. She couldn't take it, watching people get possessed and kill their friends or whatever this horrible movie's story were.

It grew silent, and she dared peek up from her palms. A girl had hid in a closed room, she looked like Vanille felt...

...absolutely _terrified_.

~•~

A smirk curved her lips.

This was actually quite entertaining. She didn't regret her decision to watch a movie with them.

When the first ghost appeared in the movie, the young redhead had curled herself up to a ball and hid her face.

Even Serah was braver. She were still sitting up, but sure, Lightning could tell she were frightened as well, but she did her best not to show it. She doubted even Snow could see how scared she was if he had seen her now, since her face didn't reveal anything, wearing a protective flat expression. Lightning shifted her attention back to the redheaded girl.

The girl had jumped every time someone screamed, even though she couldn't see what was going on and she had been squirming constantly since the ominous music started playing.

Silence brought her attention back to the television screen.

The main girl had walked into a room and were now trying to be as silent as possible while looking around for ghosts.

Lightning knew exactly what was coming.

Behind the girl a huge ghost suddenly appeared and grabbed her around the waist causing her to scream in panic.

But that was not the thing that made Lightning Farron _jump_.

The same split second the ghost had grabbed the girl, a loud squeak escaped the redhead and melted together with the screams of the girl from the television, and at the same time two petite arms had slithered their way around the older Farron's waist and pulled her into an iron grip.

"_What the_-?"

Vanille soon realized what she was doing and let out another squeak and quickly released Lightning from her grip.

She had been so scared that she forgot which Farron sister sat next to her, thinking that she dove into Serah, she actually dove into Lightning.

When she released the older Farron sibling, Lightning did nothing more than stare blankly at her. Her expression was unreadable.

"I'm sorry!" Vanille smiled apologetically and blushed madly in embarrassment. Lightning huffed and sat back.

"Eh?"

Vanille grew confused, was she upset? She was sure Lightning heard her apology, but she huffed and said nothing. Did that mean she was offended? That she didn't accept her apology?

What if he ha crossed a very important line that the Farron held dearly and she was never going to talk or even _glance _at her ever again?

Vanille squirmed, and this time it wasn't because of this horrible music.

~•~

Vanille had actually crossed a line, Lightnings personal bubble is most sacred to her, and this redhead had crossed it, _twice _actually.

She realized however that the collision on the beach was her own mistake. And this incident... well she didn't really know what had been going on, just that the redhead suddenly jumped her.

What she did know on the other hand, was that she was forever grateful that the sun had set to the point were you could barely see the person next to you, her face was burning hot to the point that if it had been possible she wouldn't had been surprised if the whole room lit up in deep red.

No one had ever got that close to her before, except that dumbass Fang who obviously had some sort of death wish. And well Serah of course. But that was before..

..before everything.

~•~

They changed movies twice after the horror movie, mostly because Vanille and Serah needed to loosen their nerves.

Serah had noticed that oddly enough, Lightning stayed with them throughout the movie night. Only leaving twice to refill her teacup.

She was happy that her sister decided to spend time with them though, so she just cherished the moment while it lasted, since it wasn't for sure that she would be hanging out with them the next time.

~•~

Vanille giggled uncontrollably to the childish jokes of the colorful animated movie they were watching, which caused Serah to join her after a few moments.

It was well after midnight and they were most probably very tired.

Lightning smirked. She actually enjoyed watching animated movies, but she was not about to tell _anyone_.

"Oh! It's three 'o clock!" Vanille suddenly exclaimed and slapped her forehead. The sky was pitch black, and the ground misty since the street lights was barely visible from the living room window. Vanille noticed this and shifted. Images of the ghost from the horror movie together with images of old, drunk and perverted men with hungry eyes flooded her mind, her gaze dropped to the floor.

Serah saw her friends discomfort and looked to Lightning. "Can she stay the night?" She asked with pleading eyes.

Lightning stared at her for a moment before turning her gaze to the redheaded girl on her left. They had turned on the lights when they switched movies and left them on.

Vanille dared not meet her gaze, not after invading her personal bubble. She didn't want to cross anymore lines or be rude.

"Do you wish to spend the night?" Lightning asked as she realized that the redhead was not going to look at her. Might as well be a good thing since Lightning wasn't sure she could hold a straight face if she looked at her_. She's got one hell of a grip considering her size..._

Vanille nodded silently and peeked at the older Farron sibling through her red bangs. "Well then." Lightning said an got up. Serah smiled and took Vanilles hand.  
>"C'mere, you'll be sleeping in my room then." She said and let Vanille towards her room. "Thank you Light!" Serah smiled at her sister over her shoulder.<p>

Lightning nodded in return while turning of the tv.

Vanille released Serah's hand and turned around to look at Lightning. "Thank you." She said sincerely with a small bow when Lightning met her gaze. She smiled warmly and skipped into Serah's room.

A smirk tugged the corner of her lip before she could stop it. Not really knowing why she smiled at such a simple gesture, she went to the kitchen to clean her cup.

* * *

><p>She had spent the night at Serah's apartment several times during the few years they had been friends.<p>

But she never really did hang out with Lightning at any of those occasions. Not like tonight. The only time they had spent in each others company before the collision on the beach was at school, when they occasionally sat next to each other or walked together while talking to their mutual friends.

But since she started noticing the athlete running every day, Vanille grew fond of watching her sprint across the sand, admiring her physique and determination. Since it didn't matter whether it was snow, rain or shine, Lightning would run anyway.

Now, since two months back, all she wanted to do was to get to know this mysterious person, this person who had been an unknown part of her life since she learned her name from the younger Farron years ago. Lightning didn't mean anything to Vanille four months ago, and now, the older girl occupied her mind most of the time. Sleep or awake, the Farron would sneak in and disturb whatever she was doing at that moment.

She wondered if the older girl ever thought of her to, if she wandered the mysterious mind of Lightning as much as Lightning invaded hers. It was annoying at times, like when she had to study or when she plopped up her head in the middle of conversations. But most of the time, Vanille grew all to distracted by the pink haired girl to shoo her off, imagining how the older girl treated the people close to her, what she usually thought about and how she was as a person.

She wondered what had happened to Lightning that made her so stiff and unwilling to show any affection. And she wondered if someone could reach out to her and help her get thought it, make her open up and soften so much that she could show affection, and perhaps even _love_, again.

_Jeez Vanille, what are your thinking about!_

She shook her head. She had been lying there wide awake for quite some time mulling, and she ultimately came up with the conclusion that Lightning probably didn't care that much about her since she had never even really met her eye, she always seemed to look past her, or straight through. She wasn't sure Lightning could even pick her out from a crowd.

She probably only recognized her because of her red hair anyway..

She pouted and furrowed her brows. Wishing she knew what the Farron thought about her.

She cleared her mind and tried to sleep.

* * *

><p>The sun rise spread golden light throughout Bodhum.<p>

A few strings shone through Serah's blinds and slapped the sleeping redhead across the face like a fly swatter.

She squezed her eyes shut and moved around a bit in annoyance before fluttering her eyes open.

Looking at the digital watch on the nightstand, it was 11:34 AM. Serah was still breathing softly, suggesting she was still asleep, unaffected by the sun's bright light.

Vanille sighed. She wished she was a heavy sleeper like Serah. She decided on being patient rather than waking her up, so she settled on the mattress that had been her bed that night.

Until nature called and she had to sneak out.

~•~

When she awoke she felt strange, she felt light-headed.

_I've been waking up weird all week, just give me a break.._

She got up from her bed and stood up in a normal matter. A few seconds from the rise, her head started to spin and she felt nauseous, her body throbbed internally and a stressed sensation quickly spread from her stomach up to her throat. She quickly grabbed a hold on her bed and bent over.

But nothing came.

She stayed put until she felt safe enough to move again. Not sure what the hell just happened. The throbbing in her body subsided and she felt stiff instead, with minor spasms making her fingers twitch.

_Must be the lack of... a vitamin or something.._

She didn't really believe that herself, but she couldn't afford to worry. Because if she did, then Serah would start worrying to. And she _didn't _want that. Especially since this probably was some kind of strained muscle syndrome or whatever..

She didn't believe in that ether.

It would probably pass if she just took it easy.  
><em>Probably exercised with a minor cold that I didn't notice or something..<em>

Another lie.

She slowly stood upright, bringing herself to her bedroom door. When she grabbed hold of the doorknob she stopped and raised her free hand and held it out in front of herself. The fingers twitched from time to time and she was a little bit shaky. She swallowed slowly, staring at her hand with a scowl.

She shook her head and twisted the doorknob.

She could hear someone move around their apartment the moment she opened the door to her room. She quickly, yet silently, made her way out of her room and towards the sound. Her pajamas made it easy to move around and she was sure she would be able to take down whoever it was before the perpetrator could even flinch, despite the light-headed feeling that still fogged her brain, the stiffness that slowed her body and the spasms that slowly started to disappear.

She stopped at a corner and mentally prepared herself. The perpetrator still moved through the small hallway apparently unaware of her presence.

Judging by the sound of the footsteps that tapped the wooden floor, the perpetrator was quite small. So Lightning guessed that whoever this was was probably armed to make up for the size.

Wouldn't matter though, she would put a heel to his.. hers.. _whatever _- template before _it _got a chance to use it.

She peeked around the corner to size up the match.  
>Then grew frustrated. <em>What the heck brain? <em>

How could she _not _remember that Vanille stayed the night? She must really have strained her brain at some point for it to be forgetting such a detail.

She hid behind the corner again and massaged her templates. _Get a grip.._ She took a deep, silent breath and rounded the corner, trying to look casual.

Vanille had found one of Serah's fashion magazines and was now sitting in the couch reading it. When Lightning rounded the corner she looked up in surprise.

"Oh! Lightning, I didn't hear you get up." She said with a smile. Lightning offered her a quick and polite smirk in return before moving on to the kitchen.

Vanille followed her with her eyes as she moved around, she leaned on the backboard of the couch and watched the Farron make herself some tea. She didn't know what would be appropriate, to speak with Lightning whom she barely knew, or to be silent and just keep herself out of her way? She shifted in her seat.

Lightning sensed her tension and threw a glance her way.  
>She saw the uncertainty in her eyes and the way she shifted. "Uhm.." She began.<br>This was actually one of the situations where she had no idea of what she should do. Social stuff was not her thing. Then she remembered something she had heard Serah say to Vanille several times before.

Vanille was actually just going to escape to the safety of Serah's room when Lightning spoke up.

"Make yourself at home." She said rather silently as she stared down into her cup of tea to avoid eye contact.

Vanille stopped what she was thinking and looked to Lightning. She could see that Lighting desperately found new things to look at as the seconds passed. She grew warm and smiled to herself. _Hehe, she's shy hmm?_

She relaxed in her seat and reopened the magazine, still leaning on the backboard.

"Thanks!" She chirped.

Lightning nodded and relaxed then proceeded to make herself a decent breakfast, unaware that Vanille wasn't at all reading the magazine in her hands, but rather watching the taller girl as she gently moved around in the small kitchen.

~•~

Fuss could be heard from Serah's room, and soon the younger Farron joined them in the kitchen.

"Good morning!" Vanille chirped.

"Good morning Vanille." Serah smiled. "Good morning Light."

Lightning only nodded as she was busy spreading marmalade on a piece of toast.

Serah watched her for a minute. It was odd for her to wear long sleeves indoors, Lightning usually didn't freeze around the house. And upon closer inspection, she could see that the older Farron's hand were trembling slightly, enough for it to be bothering Lightning as she struggled when scooping up the sticky content from the glass jar.

Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention, she turned her head to the side just in time to catch Vanille eyeing Lightning as she put the jar of marmalade back into the refrigerator. This required Lightning to stretch, causing her pajamas to reveal some of her belly before falling back down as the reach was complete.

Unknowing that she had been seen eyeing the older girl, Vanille shook her head lightly and returned to the magazine in her hands.

Serah smiled to herself.

_Really Vanille?_

"I'm going to my room." Lightning stated as she passed them with her breakfast in hand.

"Okay." Serah said and walked over to the refrigerator to prepare her own breakfast.  
>Smiling knowingly as the situation slowly unraveled itself in her mind.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

_Let me know your thoughts in a review! I'll be much appreciated. ^^_

_Thank you for reading!_


	4. Chapter Four

**Hiya! **

Woah, a heap of people are following this fic.. I wasn't expecting that really! Haha.  
>I mean, when I first started writing this story my fiance was like: "Why not post it? I think it's great. Now write more!" Haha.<p>

Well it's really nice to see that you all like what I'm working on here, but I feel so bad for being so slow.. XD

Anyhow, on with chapter 4 shall we?

**All characters belong to Square Enix, because if they were mine, there would definitely be more female romance going on. **

* * *

><p>She couldn't do this anymore.<p>

She was starting to realize that now.

Her knees felt like they where doing to let her down any minute. Her lungs felt like they didn't absorb any of the air she so desperately gasped for.

Her struggle eventually came to a stop at a sandbox. She leaned on it and bent down to better catch her breath. Her throat was sore and her body ached more than it normally did.

_Fuck..._

Her lungs burned but she felt her body slowly relax. Sitting up on the sandbox, she gazed out over the ever stretching sands.

Her breathing went back to normal, but she remained seated. Marveling the sight of the beautiful morning.

Lightning had been worried of her condition for quite some time. But it wasn't until it affected her day-to-day routines that she really began to worry. Just this morning, she had dropped several things. She never dropped things. Like ever.

_What should I do?_

"Hi there!"

Lightning twitched, but then relaxed, she instantly recognized the voice, since the girl this gentle and feminine voice belonged to had recently started to appear more often here and there in her life.

She turned around and looked upon the redhead.

"I am starting to think you are planning this." She said and eyed the girl with feigned suspicion.

Vanille giggled nervously. "Why would you think that?" She waved her hand dismissively. "I might just enjoy morning strolls on the beach too, no?" She smiled innocently.

Lightning smirked. "Really now." She said and returned her gaze to her surroundings.

Vanille wasn't sure she had Lightning fooled or not. She didn't really know herself why she felt the need to meet with the athlete. She had never really idolized someone before, but this need to see, to be near and to speak with this one person had to be it, right? Lightning Farron really was her idol.

Realizing she was staring at the pinkette, and that said girl was tensing up under her gaze, she quickly looked to where Lightnings gaze was fixed.

She cleared her throat.

"When I see you in school, I would never guess that you were one of these people to just sit and enjoy the scenery so much." She said, mostly trying to get the tension lingering in the air to vanish.

"Tsk.." Lightning smirked and lowered her gaze. "I guess not many do." They shared a few minutes of comfortable silence before Lightning looked to the redhead.

"What kind of person would you guess that I am, judging by what you see in school?"

Vanille thought for a moment.

"Well I've got to say that you mostly act dismissive around school..." She smiled apologetically at Lightning before continuing. "I was kinda thinking that you were alone a lot when I saw you. Thinking that you, aside from working out and stuff, probably... I dunno, enjoyed something quiet like reading or something?" She scratched her cheek sheepishly and smiled. "But I guess I was half-right as you do enjoy sitting quietly and watch scenery..." She said and tapped her lip in thought. Lightning stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded.

"I'm... dismissive?"

Vanille twitched. "Well.. yeah, you mostly walk around quietly while eyeing everyone like you would hurt them if they tried to speak to you.."

The athlete still stared at her with a blank expression. Vanille could almost see the cogs turning as Lightnings usually fast mind processed what she had just learnt.

"Oh." She stated simply. And turned her gaze back to the ever clashing waves.

Vanille did not know how to interpret this simple statement, mostly because both Lightnings tone and face was blank and unreadable. She fiddled her fingers and was thinking hard for anything to say.

Lightning stretched her arms up as far as she could reach, the sudden movement startled the struggling girl.

A soft crack echoed thought the athletes body as her spine snapped into place, a pleasant groan escaped Lightnings content smirk.

"I'm going to grab something to eat." She stated and slid of the sandbox. Vanille stared silently at her as the other girl turned her back to her and walked of. Her gaze turned to the ground. 'And there she goes.. well done Vanille, nice conversation there!' She scolded herself. 'Way to go...'

"You are welcome to join me if you wish."

Vanilles eyes shot up to where the voice was coming from. She had been far to preoccupied to notice Lightning stopping when she saw that Vanille didn't follow.

"If you want to?" She added when Vanille didn't say anything.

Vanilles heart swelled as she locked eyes with Lightnings gentle gaze. She couldn't help but smile as affection washed over her and she skipped to Lightnings side.

"I would love to!" She beamed when she got closer.

Lightning smirked at the happy girl, then turned and walked towards the cafés, this time with Vanille at her side.

"You're a curious one, Vanille." She chuckled lightly.

A bright blush decorated the younger girls face at the comment.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

She closed the door behind her. A content sigh escaped her pink lips as she smiled.  
>Hanging out with Lightning was not like hanging with any of her other friends.<p>

She was different. A lot different than the people she usually chose to hang with.

For instance, Lightning had the ability to stay silent for ages. Or at least it felt like ages to Vanille whom just wanted to converse with this silent, mysterious and unapproachable athlete.

Lightning didn't speak much unless spoken to, and when Vanille spoke to her, she mostly replied with short sentences, sounds or simply a nod.

_How could Lightning be so tucked in and Serah so social?_ Vanille pondered, putting a digit to her lip as she did so.

"Hey. What'cha doing?"

Vanille snapped back to reality. "What?" She smiled sheepishly at Lebreau who where standing right in front of her. Staring quizzically at her.

"You've been standing here and sighing since you came home like ten minutes ago." Lebreau chuckled. She could see the signs, they were pretty hard to miss. "What are you thinking about?" She asked, crossing her arms and smiling knowingly at the younger girl.

"What?" Vanille blushed furiously by now. How had she not noticed Lebreau sneaking up right in front of her? "I wasn't thinking about anything in particular!" She tried to be casual, which Lebreau saw thought right away, but deciding not to press the matter, she let the redhead escape to her room.

"Well okay Vanille, just tell me if you need anyone to talk to, 'k?" She chuckled as she made her way back to her room.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"I can see that you two are making this a regular thing." Serah smiled gently at her sister as she entered their shared apartment.

"What?"

"What what?" Serah joked.

Lightning groaned. "Who am I making a regular what with?" She kicked off her right running shoe while glancing at her little sisters knowing grin grow, then back to her feet.

"You and Vanille are apparently making this joined breakfasts a regular thing."

Lightning snapped her head up at her sister from her struggle with her left shoe. Her face was flat, as if not wanting to reveal what she was really thinking, but her eyes where a wild storm of azure blue, navy and sapphire as her mind raced to what Serah was thinking.

"No? She just so happens to be there." She stated and kicked of her shoe so violently, it flew and bounced off of her other shoes and created a messy pile. "Crap.."

Serah smiled knowingly.

"What about the treats?"

Lightnings face turned red. Luckily for her, she was facing the floor in an attempt to restore order amongst her several different sports shoes, each with a different purpose. But her movement speed slowed, which only alerted Serah that she had struck a nerve. She grinned victoriously. _I knew it._

"I don't know what you are talking about." Lightning tried. She did not know that Serah had seen thought her failed attempt at hiding her embarrassment.

"I'm talking about you treating Vanille for breakfast." Serah dropped the cards on the table. She crossed her arms and felt good about being the one to figure it all out. Apparently even before both Vanille and Lightning.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lightning repeated and stormed past Serah as soon as she had gotten her shoes of the floor. Forget about order, she could do that later. _Right now, I just need to escape from this little pest - I mean - my beloved, way-to-curious-for-her-own-good sister._

"I'm taking a shower." She added when she zoomed off into her room.

"Okay!" Serah replied as she chuckled and skipped into the living room.

~•~

Lightning shut the door behind her and released a breath that she had been unaware of holding in.

What did Serah want? It was as if she wanted to tell Lightning something, or rather assumed that there was something fishy going on.

Fine, Lightning hadn't talked that much with Vanille before. ...actually she couldn't remember a single word she had ever uttered to the redhead before the collision on the beach... but that still didn't mean there had to be something going on because she treated her to breakfast every once in a while, right?

She shook her head.

She really didn't have the time or the energy for these confusing thoughts right now. Or ever_. Because there is really nothing to be confused about._

_Serah was the one being confused, right?_

_Right._

_Damn right._

_...now clothes.._

She dropped the subject and busied herself with collecting a set of clothes to put on after her shower.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

The shower had just been turned off. The faucet still let some spare droplets fall. The sound of the water hitting the bottom of the tub was nothing, yet it echoed through the room as if it had been a concrete boulder falling into a canyon.

Right here and right now, when she stood naked in front of the mirror that showed to her her own upper body. Right in this moment, Lightning Farron was scared.

Not only did the condensation from her hot shower make it harder for her to breathe, but the bruise that had appeared on her ribs the other day had not only grown bigger, but apparently spread.

She poked the thin line between the two big bruises. It was like a pool of water, running down into a smaller pool. But without emptying. As she removed her index finger from her vet skin, the line-like bruise refilled with purple-blue body liquid.

She stared at herself. Right into her very own eyes.

_This is definitely more than a simple cold gone wrong... _She thought to herself as she poked the bruise again.

As if the bruise had been an vicious aggravated animal, it shot pain thought her ribcage and her breathing was interrupted for some seconds. Enough time for Lightning to bend down and grasp her neck.

She gasped for air.

This was horrible.

But what should she do?

She was not about to go see no doctor, no no. No way.

_It has to get bad before it gets better, right?_

But she didn't believe that anymore.

Tears threatened to fall as she stood up straight. She glanced at herself in the mirror. Noticing another small bruise forming on her shoulder. _Just great.._

A pout made it's way onto her mouth, but she fought back the tears.

She locked eyes with herself and glared at those azure blue eyes of hers.

The need to cry subsided. And she finished her routines on a hurry and left the bathroom.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

She was ravaging around her room. Looking for nothing. Turning everything upside down.

She was at a loss of words.

She didn't know what to do.

There was nothing she really could do.

Just wait and see if the bruises would fade and her energy would come back.

She whipped her head around and stared at the door as a gentle knock made it's way to her ears.

"Lightning?" Serahs muffled voice could be heard thought the thin door. "You have been in there stomping around for the past hour, is everything okay?"

Lightning stopped in her tracks and pondered on wether or not she should answer her younger sister.

~•~

Serah was worried. She had actually been worried for quite some time now. Lightning had been acting differently, not much, but still noticeable. At least to Serah it was noticable. She was very tired and sulky, it was as if she didn't sleep at night. But Serah had checked on her in the middle of the night at a few occasions since she noticed, and Lightning slept sound as a baby.

Oh, and that bruise.

She didn't know when or where Lightning had got it, but since she didn't seem bothered with it, Serah didn't worry.

Until she noticed that it never faded.

She had first seen it a few days ago as Lightning reached past her to grab her sweater.

-which by the way was also odd since Lightning, as a rather hot blooded girl, rarely felt cold..-

Normally anyway, bruises often heal in a couple of days, or at least start to fade. Lightnings had started out like a red mark, as if she had been recently hit. And then turned purplish-blue. And stayed that way.

She could even swear that it had grown...

Or it was just her protective nature towards her sister?

~•~

Another knock.

"Light?"

She frowned.

"It's okay Serah, I'm just looking for something." She called back. Lying of course. "Don't worry, I'll find it soon I'm sure."

"Oh, well okay. Just give me a shout if you need any help."

She heard footsteps walk away from the door.

Instead of continuing her ransacking through her room, Lightning plopped down on the bed, completely out of it. She laid there for several minutes as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Soon, she fell asleep.

~•~•~•~••~•~•~

Vanille rolled on the bobs of her heel. A cheery tune hummed though her closed, smiling lips as she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited even more...

Forty minutes later Vanille was growing restless. _Perhaps Lightning didn't feel like going on a jog today? _She sighed.

Turning around, she headed home quietly.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

She had to get up.

_Now_.

But she couldn't move.

She felt like someone was standing on her chest while she spent the night in the tub without reheating the water.

Her eyes shot open, but quickly closed again when the sun pierced her pupil like needles. She groaned.

The pressure on her chest slowly subsided and she started to breathe normally. But she was still cold and stiff.

And it didn't matter that the sun was shining directly at her, it didn't warm her much.

It took five minutes just to sit up in bed. And several more minutes to get out of it and put some respectable clothes on.

She ended up in front of her bedroom mirror. She took a long and close look at herself. Since when had she gotten so _ill_?

She had dark rings under her eyes and her eyes didn't sparkle as they used to do just a few days ago.

She looked tired. Incredibly tired.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

When she exited her room, she heard Serahs voice chat worriedly.

"Oh, Snow, I don't know what to do!" Pause. "No the door is locked!" Pause. "Of course I don't have a spare key, how do you think Light would react if I came barging in like some-" Serah turned a corner and stood face to face with Lightning. Her eyes brightened at the sight of her sister.

"It's okay Snow, she's awake." Serah sighed in relief. Then her expression changed to a more serious one. "No, Snow. I'll try and talk to her, it'll be okay." Pause.

Lightning sighed and made her way past Serah and towards the kitchen. She felt like she hadn't eaten in days, as queued her belly rumbled.

Serah followed her into the kitchen, still on the phone with her brute of a boyfriend.  
>Lightning never really liked him much, yet, he had been good to Serah so far. So he may stay.<p>

"That won't work." Serah sighed, visibly frustrated. "No I told you it won't work."

Lightning shook her head and carefully poured some milk into a bowl and went to put the milk back into the fridge. She then stretched towards the cereal.

Pain shot thought her ribcage as she aggravated the growing bruises, but she ignored it and proceeded to grab the carton and bringing it down.

"_Oh my God!_"

Lighting startled so bad, she dropped the carton of cereal on the floor, creating a mess.

"Damn it Serah!" Lighting exclaimed. "Don't scare me like tha-..."

She bit her tongue when she saw Serahs face.  
>She had her free hand covering her trembling lips, her eyes filled with tears as she stared in chock at her older sister. Tears started to fall from her eyes and tumbled down her cheeks. "Oh my God.." She whispered.<p>

The male on the other end of the phone was the only audible thing in the room.  
>'<em>Serah! ...Serah are you there?'<em>

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><p><em>Pzzzt! <em>

I know this chapter was short, but please understand that I wanted to end it there ^^;  
>See you guys soon!<p> 


	5. Chapter Five

**Hiya!**

Since a lot of you have told me how evil I am, I just want to say that I'm sorry about the mean cliffhanger guys, I just thought that made a good ending to a chapter

When I decided on ending the chapter like that, I also made a promise to myself to write and upload the next chapter pretty soon, so I wouldn't leave you all hanging by that evil thread.

And because I'm on holiday (Yay!) I was able to finish this chapter really quick since I write better in the evenings and can stay up late writing =)

**Also, **I would like to thank all of you for your support and your kind words, it makes me glad to see that so many people enjoy what I am doing. Thank you

**All the characters mentioned in this fic belongs to Square Enix.  
><strong>_Because if they belonged to me, people wouldn't have to pretend Lightning and Vanille were a couple. *Ehum*_

Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as you've enjoyed previous ones!

* * *

><p>"L-... Lightning?" Serah stammered. She stared wide eyed at her sister as more tears fell, almost blinding her by now.<p>

"What?" Lightning grew worried, what could had frightened Serah so?

Serah shook her head and stomped over to her and tugged Lightnings light blue top upwards. Revealing her thin waist and most of her ribcage. Lightning looked down upon herself, to where Serahs eyes darted around.

She couldn't believe what she saw. Bruises had appeared all over her left side, stretching from her abdomen to her shoulder. She saw now why Serah had shrieked at the sight, and why it hurt to move.

Serahs hand trembled. Snows distressed voice could still be heard from the younger pinkettes cellphone. Lightning ripped the shirt out of Serahs hand and covered herself, then snatched the cellphone out of her other hand and put it to her ear.

"Snow."

'_Lightning! What's-!'_

"Serah needs you."

She ended the call before he had a chance to ask anything else, tossed the cellphone on the sofa and turned her attention to the younger Farron.

Serah held herself and stared out into space. Tears still falling in a rappid stream from her eyes, but she didn't make a sound.

The sight made Lightnings heart break.

The very one she had tried not to worry, was now breaking appart thanks to her. She should had been more cautious, picked a longer shirt. She should had put make up on it, anything to hide it from Serah. She knew very well that her thoughts were foolish, but she didn't want Serah to see her like this.

"Light.." Her train of thoughts was cut off when the younger one spoke. Lightning looked to her. Still gripping her shirt, holding it down as if it would twirl up and throw itself off of her horrid frame.

"Lightning..." Serah tried again. "How.. how long have you been having bruises?" She asked, drying her teary eyes. The tears soaked her shirt, but her face remained wet since more tears kept dashing down her red cheeks.

"How long have you hidden this from me?"

She looked up and their eyes locked. Serah stared at her older sister seriously.

Lightning sighed. "I don't want you to worry, I never wanted you to worry." She said, stroking her templates. "I didn't say anything because I thought it would pass..." Her voice didn't carry any longer, and she coughed.

Serah tensed as Lightnings coughed for a while.

Her fury building up inside of her.

"Well I am worried now, am I not? - No, I am more than worried, I am _scared _Claire Farron!" Serahs eyes drilled into her, anger twisting her face. Lightning understood Serahs frustration, had Serah done the same to her, she would had been just as scared and angry.

She stood still, and calmly met Serahs angered gaze. She didn't have the energy to do anything else than listen as the younger Farrons sister went on about...

...what was she going on about?

Lightning swayed lightly and put her hands out to steady herself, grabbing hold of the counter for support. Her chest was pounding and hurting like never before.

Serahs rambling stopped the same instant Lightnings eyes went foggy.

"Light.." She whispered.

"I'm... Fine." Lightning grunted through shut teeth. _When is that thickhead gonna show up damn it! _Lightning thought to herself.

Just as said thickhead burst thought the door.

~( ^~^ )~

"Well this is weird.." Vanille looked at her phone in confusion as she ended the neglected call present on the screen. "Serah never ignores my calls..." She said and furrowed her brows.

"Oh Luvie, I'm sure it's nothin' you need to worry about. She's probably with Snow anyway." The raven haired woman next to her assured her, putting a warm hand on her shoulder. "Hey now, have som berries no? They'll put that pout off of your face!" Fang chuckled. Vanille couldn't help but join in on the genuine chuckle. Lebreau shook her head.

"Always you with the treats, Fang. Hoping to buy a girls heart with gifts and sweets.." She smiled and eyed Fang playfully.

"Always I with the treats!" Fang winked at Lebreau and threw a red berry into the air and caught it in her mouth. Grinning towards Lebreau, who snorted.

"You know, if you didn't do that 'catch-food-in-mid-air-thing', I could almost take you seriously." She shook her head.

Fang elbowed Vanille. "Well there's no fun in that, are there?" She said and winked at the younger girl, chuckling. Vanille smiled back.

Fang kept munching on the berries she had bought in a fresh fruit stand a few blocks away. They had walked around while waiting for Serah to call back since Vanille hadn't been able to speak with her this morning.

"I think she's been worried about Lightning for some reason." Fang said as the silence settled.

"Worried? Why?" Vanille looked up.

"Dunno, something about Lightning acting wierd lately." Fang eyed the berry in her hand, sniffed it and then shrugged. "But I haven't noticed anything strange." She said while chewing the berry thoughtfully.

Lebreau grimaced as Fang made a sour face.

"I haven't either." She facepalmed as Fang kept eating berries. "Quit that! They're bad, okay?" She said and snatched the berries from Fangs hands.

Vanille stared at them both as the squabbles grew into an argument. She sighed. "You guys fight like an old couple.." She murmured so that they wouldn't hear her.

A weak call made its way to her ear. She turned around to see Snow running in full speed towards her. She waved at him and then stood still to wait for him to catch up.

"Vanille!" She gasped for air as he stopped. "Are you here by yourself?"

Vanille made a confused face and turned around to see that Fang and Lebreau were nowhere to be found.

"I guess..?" She stated and turned back to him. "I was with Fang and Lebreau but I guess they forgot me-.."

Snow shook his head rapidly in frustration, still breathing heavily.

"Vanille, not now, we must hurry to Serahs!"

The redheads eyes widened. What could have happened? Was this why she had neglected her phone all morning?

Snow could see the color from Vanilles face drain.

"C'mon, I'll explain on the way!" He said and grabbed her hand before he started running again. Vanille did her best to keep up.

~( ^~^ )~

"-and then she was all like; 'Snow, Serah needs you.' and before I had a chance to ask what had happened, she just hung up on me!" Snow exclaimed between breaths.

Vanille struggled to keep up with the larger man.

"Wha- what? Lightn- Lightnings sick?" She managed while trying to push herself forward, Snows grip on her hand helped a little, but were more often on the verge of pulling her out of balance than helping her forward.

"Yes, or atleast Serah thought so since Light didn't leave her room in like two days!"

"Two days? You're not exaggerating now?" Vanille whined. "Can you pleeeease slow down just a little bit!"

Snow threw a glance at her. "We're almost there, just keep up!"

Vanille thanked the gods when they finaly came to a stop at the Farron sisters front door. Naturally, she had been worried for both Serah and Lightning when she heard the news, she knew how protective of her sister Serah was. But it sure wouldn't help if she had tripped and hurt herself on the way when they rushed to help.

Snow threw the door open.

Vanille froze.

Her heartbeat hammered in her ears, but it was not because of the sprint over here.

No, it was because of what she saw.

The door flew open to reveal a pale Serah, whose eyes followed Lightning as she fell towards the floor. Her body was completely limb, and it looked as if her last streight had gone into steadying herslef on the counter.

Vanilles eyes met with Lightnings pale gaze as her eyes fell shut before she slammed onto the floor with a horrid thud.

All she could do was stare at the older girl as her body lay still on the floor in the exact position she had landed in.

She could see Serahs face grimace in pain and her mouth were open as if shouting something. Snow moved forward from his place beside her and he rushed to Serahs side.

She couldn't hear anything. Everything happened so fast, she had no idea what to do. All she did was stand there and stare at the girl lying limb and bruised on the floor.

"Vanille!"

She looked up.

Her eyes met with Snow's serious gaze.

"Vanille, get a grip." He said calmly as he held Serah.

Vanille looked to Serah who just stared at Lightning with a pained expression. She bit her lip and looked back at Snow. This was not the time for grief or panic, this was the time for action. And she had to do something, _anything_.

Snow nodded at her, acknowledging her change of state. She nodded back.

Snow turned his attention to the pinkette in his arms.

~( *-* )~

_Ergh..._

Everything was a blur. She had no idea what had just happened.

Wasn't she preparing breakfast just now?

She tried to open her eyes. Or were they open? Was the blinds down?

She tried to move, but her body felt incredibly heavy.

_What? Why?_

She tried to open her eyes again.

This time, a thin streak of light entered her vision.

And there were voices. But they were far away. Very far away.

She focused on her sight for a moment. She could distinguish a pair of yellow sneakers through the blur, and on top of them were a pair of orange leg warmers.

The voices came closer.

Why was she watching feet?

_"We should call an Ambulance, there's no way of knowing if she's going to be okay on her own"_

_I wonder who's hurt._

She tried to lift her head, but it was as if an elephant sat on it.

Giving up, she tried to see who the feet belonged to instead. But the person was standing up, and she couldn't tilt her head.

_"-erah, I know she doesn't like hospitals, but we need to get her there." _

What an annoying guy, just call the ambulance already and be gone.

_"Please say something..."_

_"Okay.."_

The feet moved out of her vision. Leaving her with nothing but a blur.

Her body felt so heavy.

And her eyelids to.

Darkness crept closer and she shut her eyes, the streak of light extinguished.

~( *-* )~

Something sweet.

Something sweet invaded her heavy, sleepfilled darkness.

But her eyes refused to open.

She tried to force her vocal chords to obey her, but nothing happened.

She grew frustrated.

She focused and forced her body to do something.

Her vocal chords made themselves known.

~( ^~^ )~

Vanille was about to drop the water given to her when someone grunted. The medics quickly spun around and started talking to each other.

They had Lightning on a stretcher that they were ready to load into the Ambulance, and apparently, she was regaining consciousness.

The medic closest to Vanille, the one attending Lightning, turned around and let the medics sitting down with Serah know that the 'patient' was beginning to wake up. They had lead her away from the stretcher as soon as Lightning was loaded onto it to ask her a few questions about Lightnings prior health.

Snow had been with her the whole time, keeping a protective arm around her.

When they heard that Lightning was stirring, they both looked to Vanille, who had been left with a plastic mug of water to fend for herself since she had told them she was fine.

She looked from them both before looking back towards Lightning. There were two medics looming over her, murmuring to themselves. Lightning didn't make any more sounds.

"We need to take her to the hospital now, her heart rate is a little unstable and her breathing is shallow." The medic standing over Lightning with a stethoscope exclaimed.

Vanille twitched. The words dug into her like nails. Was Lightning _dying _right here and now?

She didn't know she was shaking before one of the medics grabbed her hand and gently removed the plastic mug of water she was crushing in her grip. She looked up at him and he smiled at her. But she still couldn't relax.

A warm, masculine hand placed itself on her shoulder. "Are you coming with us in the Ambulance?"

She could hear that Snow was worried on his tone, even though he tried to hide it for Serahs sake.

She looked to her side and saw Serah. She took Serahs hand and squeezed it gently, Serah looked at her and smiled gratefully, but her eyes still screamed with worry.

Serah squeezed back and pushed Vanille in front of her into the ambulance before entering with Snow in tow.

~( ^~^ )~

The ambulance was quickly but gently making it's way to the hospital. Vanille couldn't stop staring at Lightnings shut eyes. She looked so peaceful.

And it _frightened _Vanille.

Despite the heart monitor that quietly beeped every time the older girls heart beated, she still wasn't entirely confident that Lightning wasn't going to drop dead any minute. Deciding that it was foolish to continue staring, she looked down in her lap and just waited to arrive at the hospital.

~( *-* )~

Sleep.

It was very tempting.

To just... ...fall asleep.

To let the abyss swallow her whole and just give in to this sleepy sensation that numbed her whole body.

She needed to sleep.

She wanted to sleep.

But something caught her attention.

Again, something sweet invaded her darkness.

She considered to just push it away, ignore it and just go to sleep.

What did it matter anyway, she was just going to take a little nap.

But the sweet _...sensation? - _stayed there, bugging her.

She didn't know what it was, she just knew she recognised it from somewhere.

But her mind was not that fast working right now.

After a few moments of struggle she gave in and tried to open her eyes.

And to her surprise, it was much easier than the last time she tried.

A streak of light blinded her for a moment before her groggy eyes adjusted.

A thump in her chest shook her whole body when she recognised the person in front of her.

She didn't even bother to be confused by this warmth that spread from her chest thought her limb body. It took all her energy just to focus her eyes on this redheaded being that sat there, across from her.

It was becoming easier to focus her eyes.

To think clearly.

_Vanille._

Lightning looked at the younger girl. Her face was red and puffy, marred with worry.

She sucked in a large breath, filling her lungs with that sweet scent.

The sweet scent that she now recognized fully.

She knew who smelled like that.

_Vanille._

A mixture of a sweet vanilla perfume and her natural scent left Lightning stunned.

Her heart started pounding and she felt the warmth that had been resting in her chest rise to her cheeks.

A plastic mask covered Lightnings face for a split second before it found it's way to her mouth, she breathed in and felt her body relax. She hadn't even realized she was tensed and in pain before it subsided. And she didn't care.

"I see that you're awake now, that's good." She heard a male voice talk to her.

But she didn't care.

She just wanted to look at _her_.

The voice made the redheaded girl in front of her look up.

Her emerald green eyes met with Lightnings.

It lasted for only seconds, but for Lightning it felt like a lot longer.

From the moment those perfect lashes fluttered open to reveal those emerald eyes, to the moment those pesky medics rolled the stretcher out of the ambulance, Lightning watched Vanilles eyes fill with relief and warmth.

As the medics brought her further away from the ambulance and into the hospital, she realized what it all meant.

_Oh shit._

She was crushing on her little sisters best friend.

~( ^~^ )~~( ^~^ )~~( ^~^ )~

They had been sitting in the waiting room for about an hour now.

Waiting for someone to come out and tell them what was wrong with Lightning Farron.

But there hadn't been a lot of activity in the past hour, the door had only swung open three times. First when they entered the hospital with Lightning and they disappeared behind that door after telling them all to wait, then when a nurse with a white tray with a few empty glass containers rushed into the room. Then again when the same nurse exited the room with the same tray.

This time with a red substance in every glass container.

Serah sighed for the fifth time in thirty minutes.

Snow adjusted his shirt again.

Vanille leaned her elbow on the table full of worn out-dated magazines, resting her chin in the palm of her hand.

She was tired, but she guessed they all were.

It was quite the ordeal they had been through these past four hours.

Well, seven hours for Serah.

Vanille tried her best not to think about what could happen in there.

She kept thinking about the last seconds of eye contact that she was able to maintain with Lightning before they took her away.

The image flashed before her eyes.

She had looked up to see Lightnings azure blue eyes gently gaze upon her. Her features had been relaxed and her cheeks pink. She was still pale, but the pink cheeks must have been a good sign.

Most importantly, her gaze had been clear, not foggy at all.

And that was the fact that made Vanille feel a little more certain that Lightning was going to be okay.

..._unless something goes horribly wrong in there.. _

Vanilles eyes watered. But she bit her tongue. It was not her place to be sad, she had to be there and be strong for both of the Farron sisters.

The nurse that had been rushing with the little white tray rushed back through the doors again with a note in hand. When she appeared again, she was walking behind a tall woman in a coat that looked upon the group. Everyone looked at her intently.

"My name is Dr. Angela Phoenix, and I have some news about the state of my patient Miss Claire Farron." She glanced at her clipboard.

Vanilles heart stopped.

_Claire Farron? _Her cheeks heated up and the warmth she had been feeling a lot recent weeks bubbled up in her chest. _What a beautiful name._

Snow blinked.

"Who?"

Serah and Vanille would have facepalmed if the situation was not so grave.

"Snow, Lightnings real name is Claire.." Serah said and patted him on the shoulder. He blushed and apologized.

Vanilles cheeks reheated at the mention of _Claire_.

"Please, tell me what's wrong with my sister." Serah looked at the doctor with worry.

Dr. Phoenix smiled with compassion at Serah.

"Well the good news is that she's stable and that she will be able to go home in a few days."

A weak smile graced Serahs lips. "Thank the maker..." She whispered and placed a hand on her chest in relief. Vanille sighed and sat back, also greatly relieved.

"Wait..." Snow scratched his chin. "The _good _news, there's some _bad_ new to?"

This made both of Vanilles and Serahs relief switch to worry again.

Dr. Phoenix nodded and glanced back at her clipboard.

"Miss Farron have come in contact with a virus that causes Fata Morbo, commonly called Dooms Disease. We can get rid of the virus with medicine, but the rest is up to the patient." Dr. Phoenix paused to let her words sink in before sitting down with them.

"I am not familiar with this Dooms Disease..." Serah murmured.

Dr. Phoenix watched Serah for a few seconds before explaining.

"Dooms Disease is caused by a sub-virus to the common virus that causes the flu and common colds. This Sub-virus is much more aggressive and will cause your body to produce and dispatch more of premature white blood cells. With time, these premature white blood cells will start attacking your own body instead of fighting off infections."

She paused again.

Snow blinked and didn't seem to understand more than that it was dangerous.

Serahs and Vanilles relief was completely gone and replaced with worry and they both looked frightened.

"Basically, Miss Farrons body is fighting itself. And it's really far gone.."

Vanille stared out into space.

She was going to be okay, Lightning was going to be okay, she just said that. But now she's sitting here telling them that she's not okay, she's actually being killed by her own blood?

"Vanille..." She felt a small hand on her shoulder and turned her head to see Serah looking at her worriedly. "Vanille, please breathe.."

She trembled and gasped for air as tears started to fall from her cheeks. She wasn't even aware that she had started crying.

Serah pulled Vanille into her arms and held her, tears streaming down her cheeks as well. She turned to Dr. Phoenix.

"So... she's still... I mean she will still..." She tried, but she didn't want to say it.

"Oh, no, she may very well recover fully from this." Dr. Phoenix assured. "But it's all up to her, and how hard she can fight. But I am going to be honest with you, since the disease is so far gone, it's going to be one tough fight."

Serah smiled meekly. "Thank you Doctor."

Dr. Phoenix nodded.

"We are treating her at this moment, you'll get a prescription for everything she needs." She nodded again. "You'll be able to visit her in the morning."

Serah and Snow shook Dr. Phoenix hand before she said goodbye and left them alone in the waiting room again.

~( ^~^ )~

Vanille had stopped sobbing a long time ago.

They had all been sitting silently, contemplating what the doctor had said.

They had all silently agreed to that they couldn't just go home. Not when things were like this. And none of them wanted to.

"So... she's going to be okay. What a relief." Snow said, trying to sound cheery, but it was easy to see through.

"What do you mean? Didn't you hear what the doctor said?" Vanille asked, her voice was weak from fatigue and the fact that she had been crying. "She'll only make it if she has the power within her to fight it off." She hid her face in her arms which she had folded over a stack of magazines. Her makeshift pillow for the night.

Snow stretched. "Yeah, I heard what she said. And Lightning is one hell of a fighter, I thought you knew that. She'll be healthy again in no time!" She sat back and tried to relax enough to catch some sleep on the uncomfortable chairs.

Vanille looked at Serah, who smiled softly. Vanille smiled back.

Snow was only trying to brighten the mood, and they appreciated it.

~( *-* )~

Everything was white. For a moment, she wondered if she had died.

But as soon as the thought entered her mind, she gasped for air and her heart started pounding.

Her eyes cleared and she was able to focus. Everything was not white, it was just the sun shining in from the windows.

The turned her head carefully in an attempt to look around.

She knew that she was lying down.

But she didn't know where she was.

She twitched, something was making a sound somewhere.

She sat up and started looking around for the cause of the sound. Eventually spotting a big, round silver-ish thing flying through the air towards her.

~( ^~^ )~

The nurse stopped at the door that led to the room where Lightning were being kept.

"This is where Miss Farron will stay a few days, until she is stable enough to go home. You are welcome to come see her during visiting hours."

She opened the door and entered with the tray of medicines in hand.

Serah was the first to enter the room. Vanille could see her smiling as she looked to the far wall, meaning that Lightning was fine.

She sighed and a small smile made it's way onto her own lips as well as she entered the room.

Lightning was sitting up in bed, staring with large eyes at the nurse with the tray. She looked a little beaten, but otherwise she seemed to be okay, she even seemed to be quite lively despite the ordeal she had been though.

"Miss Farron, you have some visitors here. Oh and I would prefer if you would lay down dear.." The nurse furrowed her brows when Lightning didn't comply.

Lightning looked to Serah who stood next to the nurse, recognising her instantly. She stared at Serah confused for a while before her eyes went back to watching the tray again.

"Serah, theres a fucking UFO in here and it's speaking to me..." She said, looking back at Serah with disbelief.

Everyone paused and Serah turned to the nurse. Mouthing a silent _'What?'_

The nurse smiled at her and shook her head slowly.

"We have just given her some pretty stong medications, she should be fine in some minutes." She then proceeded to place the tray onto the bedside table and tried to get Lightning to lie down.

Serah nodded at the nurse words and smiled at her sister who stared at her from over the nurses shoulder, apparently not knowing what was going on. Serah chuckled.

~( ^~^ )~

The nurse had finally stopped fussing over Lightning and had given up on trying to get her to lie down, instead she had given her a few more pillows so she at least were relaxed while sitting up.

"I'll leave you all now, I'll be back in half an hour to give her some more medicine and something to eat." The nurse nodded and exited the room.

Serah sat down next to Lightning.

She looked a bit tired now that the medicines were beginning to sink in, her hair was a mess from being moved from stretcher, to bed, onto another stretcher and then finally to her final bed.

But her eyes were clear and even though she was still pale, her cheeks were starting to regain their natural hue.

Snow took a chair and sat down on it next to the bed, leaving Vanille standing in the middle of the room awkwardly.

Serah reached out and touched her sisters cheek, bringing Lightnings eyes from her fiddling hands to meet with Serahs calm gaze. But the azure blue orbs left Serahs light blue ones the same instant Serahs digits left Lightnings cheek.

"I'm sorry Serah, this got way out of hand.." Lightning said slowly, only for her and Serah to hear.

"It's okay." Serah said and bit her lip. The fear and worry she had felt all night had left her with next to no sleep. And being able to communicate with Lightning - now that the medicines weren't making her high anymore - was more than she thought she would be able to do just a few hours ago.

She thought that she was going to lose her sister. She had been certain of it.

Vanille watched the Farron siblings as they silently spoke. A soft smile graced her lips. Herself and Serah had been up most of the night, as Snow had collapsed after a few minutes after finding a comfortable spot.

Serah had told Vanille how everything started that morning and when she had started suspecting something some days ago when Lightning weren't acting quite normal.

Vanille had tried her best to be there for her best friend, even though she was just as scared. But why had she been just as scared?

She didn't think about it before, but now, when she observed the siblings interaction, it hit her. How had she grown so attached to this older girl in such a short period of time?

They had just started talking really. The incident at the beach was just a month and ten days ago. ..._Why do I know that for sure..? _

She shook her head at herself. But she had to admit it. She had grown very attached to the older Farron even before they started speaking.

_I guess that's how it works with true idols, no?_

* * *

><p><em>Whoa!<em>

Close call, ne? Hehe.  
>Also, this turned out to be my longest chapter yet.. =)<p>

Thanks for reading. ^^


	6. Chapter Six

**Hiya!**

I'm gonna do a shout out to _Raikik, _thanks for your support, I appreciate it a lot! :D

Hope you'll enjoy chapter six of Fatum Amor!

_**I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this fanfiction, because if I did, Lightning and Vanille would not only be a pair in our imagination.  
>All of the characters belong to Square Enix!<strong>_

* * *

><p>Her palms were sweaty.<p>

She hated it when her palms were sweaty.

She hugged the get-well card along with a book tightly in her arms as she marched towards the turquoise door that lead to the room where Lightning had been trapped the past three days.

She stopped right outside the door to collect herself.

She hadn't visited Lightning since she got hospitalized. She had been thinking about it, but she didn't want to seem to needy or something, so she had to wait at least a few days.

So now, a few days later, she was finally here. With a card and a gift.

She looked at the colorful card and the book she had brought with her.

The card was light blue, with large letters saying "Get Well Soon!" in yellow, along with a teddy bear in a hospital bed with a large patch on it's forehead. She looked in her other hand at the book she had bought. "Back to Training, with Cid's Tips!". She had bought them both on the way here, since she didn't want to show up empty handed. And this Cid Raines was some high ranked guy in the Guardian corps apparently, she remembered Lightning telling her about wanting to become a soldier. She also remembered that Lightning didn't want to talk about why she wanted to join the Guardian Corps...

She swallowed.

What was she _thinking_?

What was she going to _say_?

Why where she even here?

Why would Lightning want to see _her_?

She groaned.

"Are you all right sweetie?"

Vanille jumped and spun around. An old lady that supported herself on a walker smiled warmly at her. She nodded.

"I am fine thank you.." She replied. "Just a little bit nervous." She hugged her gifts tight once more.

The lady nodded. "You should go in there, she spends a lot of time alone, and from what I hear from the nurses, she's close to climbing the walls.." She chuckled and nodded as she spoke, Vanille couldn't help but smile.

"Really? Heh.. well she is used to working out quite intensely." Vanille looked at the turquoise door again.

The lady eyed her before smiling once more. "Is that so dear." She shuffled closer to Vanille with her walker.

"Well then, in you go." The old lady shoved Vanilles midsection with her surprisingly strong hand and chuckled as she stumbled backwards through the door.

Vanille regained balance quickly and blinked a few times at the chock. What just happened?

She heard a silent rhythmical beeping sound, which made her realize that she was on the inside of the turquoise door, meaning that she was inside Lightnings room. She slowly turned her head to look to the far wall, meeting Lightnings calm gaze.

Lightning was sitting up in bed, with her arm outstretched, apparently flipping through the channels of the television when Vanille stumbled in. The heart monitor next to the bed kept beeping.

It wasn't visible since she wore her usual stoic expression, but she was honestly surprised to see Vanille here.

They silently stared at one another.

"Uhh, hi there?" Lightning finally spoke.

She was beginning to realize that she had to be the one to break the silence when Vanille spaced out, since the younger girl apparently had a habit of disappearing into her own mind for quite some time.

Vanille shook her head, straightened her back and swallowed. "Hi!" She replied smiling.

She walked up to the bed. "I was thinking that I should come visit you." She said, but kept hugging her gifts so tight her knuckled turned white.

And this was not going unnoticed by the Farron.

"Why?" She asked, as she was not expecting Vanille to show up.

The redhead was slightly taken aback by the bluntness of the question. "Uhh.. well I kinda overheard that you don't like hospitals when we took you here." _Good save Vanille!_ She smiled, satisfied with herself for coming up with a reason, when she really had none.

"Oh."

Silence.

Lightning looked down to her hands. She appreciated that Vanille had come to see her, she was actually happy about it. Her cheeks felt hot and she scratched her neck to hide it from the redhead.

"Well thank you." She said and cleared her throat. Lightning could feel the warmth in her chest, but did her best to suppress it so that it wouldn't show on her behaviour.

Vanille smiled. She could tell that Lightning appreciated her presence, even though she had a hard time expressing it. She was kinda starting to learn the small signs that the older Farron gave, much thanks to everything Serah unintentionally told her.

Like for instance, when Serah talked about how she knew Lightning was happy about something without saying anything, Vanille would ask how Serah would know this. Hence, learning how to decode the older Farron sibling.

"Oh!" She finally remembered what she had brought with her. "I kinda.. have gifts for you..." Her eyes fell upon the flowers and different cards on Lightnings bedside table, and was relieved to see that she had picked a card she didn't have yet.

Lightning stared at Vanille confused. _She brought gifts for me?  
><em>Her cheeks grew warm once again, but she didn't bother on hiding it this time.

"Why?" She asked, barely audible.

Vanille blinked. "Well because we're friends, no?" She smiled at the older girl, who kept staring at her as if not understanding the term 'friends'.

Calling Lightning her 'friend' somehow didn't sound right to Vanille, she had to repeat her own words several times in her mind, but it still didn't sound right.

Lightning bit her lip. _Friends? _

"Oh.." She said.

"Yeah, so... here!" Vanille threw her mulling aside and have Lightning the get-well card. "I.. I wrote a little something on the back.." She could hear herself how girly that sounded, and she could feel herself blush.

She bit the inside of her cheek and tried not to feel nervous as Lightning flipped the card over to read what she had written.

Lightning looked at Vanilles handwriting, deciding that it was pretty. Her own writing wasn't that bad, but the loops in Vanilles letters just made the whole text marvelous for the eyes to rest on.

She blinked and focused to read the text instead of just staring at it.

_Hey Light! _

_I may call you that, right?_

_You scared us all that day when you collapsed.  
>Yes, even Snow was scared.<em>

_Please don't do it again, okay?_

_Best wishes  
>Vanille <em>

The heart over the i and the one drawn at the end made Lightning blush. She knew that it was just a friendly gesture or a part of Vanilles personality, so her own reaction bothered her.

"To be honest, I was kinda scared myself too." She said and looked up at Vanille and smiled softly.

Vanille was actually planning on answering the older girl, but she was about to swallow her own tongue as her heart skipped a beat. Lightnings... _Claires _smile was so beautiful, yet she kept that poker face on most of the time.

Vanille couldn't help but smile largely back at her, which caused Lightnings smile to grow a little bit.

"Thank you Vanille."

She could be sure that if her heart kept this up, Lightning would hear her heartbeat soon. But the way her name rolled of those sweet pink lips, it was just so-...

_Wait wait wait!_

Vanille stopped for a moment.

_What is going on? Is this natural?_

Sure she was attached to the girl in front of her, but this was ridiculous. This had to be more than just an admiration, this had to be a full blown-

"What's that?"

Vanilles trail of thoughts were gone, she looked up and saw Lightning pointing and looking at her chest. She had apparently been to busy putting Vanilles card on the bedside table to notice that Vanille had fallen silent, and had now noticed the book in Vanilles arms.

Vanille looked down at the book she was hugging ridiculously tight.

"Oh! Well it's a book I got for you, since you'll be out of it for at least a few weeks I thought that maybe you wanted something calm to do... and you kinda like sports and working out so I..." She met with Lightnings curious gaze. "I-kinda-got-you-this!" She blushed once more and quickly blurted it out before handing her the book.

Lightning gently took it from Vanilles thin digits and looked at the front.

"Heh.." She said and opened it to read the introduction.

Vanille quietly awaited Lightnings approval.

Lightning nodded. "This is great, thanks." She looked up at Vanille, who smiled in relief.

~( ^~^ )~

Vanille sighed.

Lightning turned her head and looked at her.

"What's up?"

Vanille looked to her questionably. "Huh, what?"

"Well you sighed." Lightning replied.

"Oh, well I'm comfortable." Vanille said and smiled.

"Tch." Lightning smirked and looked back to the television screen.

They had been sitting beside each other on Lightnings bed for the past half an hour, watching the television. They had just ended up that way when their conversation - mostly about whether or not the heart monitors beeping drove Lightning insane or not - had died out.

Vanille eyed Lightning carefully, not wanting the Farron to notice her looking.

Lightning was sitting leaning on the heap of extra pillows she had been given since she refused to lie down all day. Her upper body was covered in a white, hospital-standard t-shirt. Her legs were pulled up to her chest and she was wearing a pair of light-gray jammies.

_She probably doesn't call them jammies though.._

Vanille thought to herself, smiling.

Her eyes traced back to Lightnings face.

She was silently watching the screen at the foot of the bed. She was still a bit pale and had dark rings under her eyes. Her hair was less spiky and a little more messier than usual, Vanille guessed that she didn't have the energy to fuss over her hair.

The hair that usually stood out from her face in pointy spikes now lay softly against her cheeks. Vanille almost giggled when she noticed the small neon-pink hairclipps that kept her bangs from getting into her eyes. She guessed that Lightning... _Claire.. _had complained to the point that Serah had brought some of her hair clips for Lightning to borrow.

_Claire Farron.. _

She smiled.

The light from the television screen highlighted _Claire_s face and eyes so beautifully now that the sun was settling low on the skies outside the hospital window. _...or is it just me?_

Vanille decided to stop eyeing the girl before she became to obvious.

~( * v * )~

The door opened and a nurse entered the room with a glass of water and a small plastic cup with pills.

Vanille hurried out of the bed, almost tripping over herself in the process.

She would had been incredibly embarrassed, if her clumsiness hadn't earned a chuckle from Lightning. She turned around, blushing heavily and smiling goofily. A chill ran up her spine at the sight of the small smile upon Lightnings lips.

"I see that you're still here, that's nice." The nurse smiled politely at Vanille, who smiled back. "Miss Farron, your sister called and asked me to tell you that she will not be able to come over today." The nurse turned her smile to Lightning.

"She didn't have to call to tell me that..." Lightning replied, shaking her head slowly at her sisters behaviour. "She have visited me every day, I think I'll be alright even without her for one day.." Lightning wore her stoic face as she turned back to the television.

Vanille watched as the nurse shuffled about the room giving it a touch up.

"You know she cares about you greatly Miss Farron." The nurse smiled. "Please step out of bed Miss so I may change the covers.

Lightning nodded and put her feet to the floor.

Vanille watched her carefully as she rose from the bed and stood up straight.

Lightnings movement were slow and testing, but she didn't sway. Vanille could tell that she was much weaker than she had ever seen her before. She frowned.

"What?" Lightning looked at the frowning girl out of the corner of her eye.

She hated how everyone had started looking at her lately. Even Serah looked at her that way.

Frowning. Like she was half dead.

Worrying. Like she was _weak_, like they felt sorry for her.

She was alive, right? So stop frowning already. She was anything but _weak_.

Vanille twitched and her eyes met with Lightnings. She understood that Lightning had seen her frowning, she could tell that she didn't appreciate her concern.

"Well I was just.. eh.." Vanille tried but bit her lip.

"I'm alright... stop worrying..." Lightning said as she climbed back onto bed and wrapped her arms around her knees. Vanille frowned again, this time because she had upset Lightning.

The nurse smiled compassionately towards Vanille.

"Miss Farron, you must understand that people who cares about you _do _worry." She reached the small plastic cup with pills out for Lightning to accept. "Please take your medicine." She smiled.

Lightning stared at the small cup with a deep scowl on her forehead. Finally reaching out her hand, she took the small cup and reached for the glass of water.

The nurses smiled widened, she turned to Vanille.

"Will you be staying?" She asked silently.

Vanille pouted and looked to Lightning.

"Oh don't worry about her." The nurse put a reassuring hand on Vanilles shoulder. "I've worked here long enough to see when people don't want to be alone. And she's been alone long enough."

Vanille smiled meekly. "Thanks. I think I'll stay a while then."

The nurse nodded. "Those medicines are quite strong.." She looked to Lightning to make sure that she was indeed taking them, and not sticking them down the dirt in the pot of flowers, like she had done the other day.

She was satisfied to see that Lightning was indeed taking the medicines, grimacing with every pill.

"If those are the same pills she got on the day she got hospitalized, then I know how they will affect her." Vanille smiled, remembering Lightnings uncharacteristic, confused stares and slight distorted perception of reality. The nurse nodded and smiled.

"Then you know what to expect. Please make sure she takes them all, I have more pacients." She smiled one last time at Vanille before turning to leave the room. "Oh!"

She turned back. "And it's okay to sit with her on the bed honey, she hasn't broken anything so there is no healing you can harm by sitting next to her." She winked. Vanilles cheeks turned a deep crimson, she had hoped she was quick enough for the nurse to miss the whole trip-out-of-bed scene.

She murmured a thanks and the nurse chuckled when leaving the room.

Vanille frowned. Hoping that this wasn't going to turn into a coffee break story.

Casting it aside, she looked to Lightning. The small plastic cup was empty and Lightning was in the process of downing the last of the water before she crushed the platic cup and put it in the glass. Finally, she put the empty glass on her bedside table and sighed.

"Ew..." She said as she laied down on her covers, rubbing her belly.

Vanille chuckled. "Delicious?"

Lightning snorted and turned her head sideways to look at her. "Yes, another one please." She said and waved her hand in the air as if summoning a waiter.

Vanille giggled.

She sat down on the bed again with her legs hanging of the edge of the bed. She looked at Lightning. She squinted her eyes at the girl and smiled mischievously. Seeing Lightning get high would be an incredibly interesting experience.

~( *-* )~

Sounds were getting weirder.

And her sight was kinda inaccurate.

Because that man, standing on her foot, had not been standing there a few minutes ago.

She shook her foot. But he remained standing up upon her toes.

"Whoa, damn, dude's got some balance..."

"...what?"

Lightnings head shot up.

Her eyes met with two huge pools of green. She shook her head and focused.

The pools where actually eyes, the girl was just sitting rather closely.

"What what?" She asked in return, confused.

"Who's got some balance?" The girl asked.

Lightning blinked a few times, the girl was actually Vanille.

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and she couldn't hold herself.

~( ^~^ )~

"Whoa, damn, dude's got some balance..."

Vanille furrowed her brows and looked to Lightning. She had a rather dreamy look upon her face, one that Vanille had never seen before.

"...what?"

Lightning looked up as if she had forgotten Vanille was there.

She stared at Vanille a bit confused, making Vanille confused as well.

"What what?" Lightning asked, still staring at her as if not understanding what was going on.

A small smile grew on Vanilles lips, as she realized that the medicine had probably kicked in.

"Who's got some balance?" _This could get interesting._

She could see the recognition in Lightnings eyes, Lightning then smiled rather uncharacteristically large. Vanille chuckled. "Who's got some balance?" She asked again.

Lightning looked to her foot and pointed. "The dude that stood on my toe just a minute ago" She said. She let her hand fall down, landing with a soft thud on the mattress. "But there's a box of cereal dancing on my toe now..." She squinted her eyes with a scowl.

Vanille blinked a few times, severely confused. She looked at Lightnings foot.

She was sitting with her leg outstretched, her foot in front of the television screen, and there was a cereal commercial on.

Vanille chuckled and crawled to the foot of the bed and turned the television off.

She then sat back down, this time facing Lightning. Who stared at her intently.

Vanille smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Lightning nodded. "Better now that my toe is free.." She said and relaxed, putting her head down on the pillow. She turned her head and looked at Vanille.

Vanille looked at the clock, soon visiting hours for close friends and relatives would be over. She sighed.

Lightning shuffled, so she looked at the older girl as she sat up and hugged her legs.

She grew nervous when Lightning did nothing more than to stare seriously at her.

"Vanille." She said.

Vanille dared not do anything other than nod.

"I know that visiting hours are over soon." She said and threw a glance at the clock.

_Was she sounding disappointed? _Vanille kept looking at her intently.

"And well..." Lightning looked down upon her knees, hesitating a bit.

"Well you know.. I'm glad you came.."

A pink hue covered Lightnings pale cheeks as she kept avoiding eye contact.

Vanille smiled, guessing that it had been a real hard thing to say for the older girl. She also guessed that she wouldn't have said it if she hadn't been on strong medications right now that messed with her head.

"Well, glad that I make you feel better." Vanille said, just as a nurse opened the door. Vanille nodded to the nurse, letting her know that she was already leaving.

"You have no idea..." Lightning murmured as the redheaded girl made her way to the turquoise door.

Vanille turned around and waved at her, smiling.

Lightning raised her hand and carefully waved back.

"You have no idea..." She whispered again as the door closed.

~(^-^~ ) ( ~^-^)~

"I spent the day with your sister actually." Vanille replied as she licked the remnants of the ice cream from her spoon.

Serah paused and turned to look at Vanille, smiling knowingly. Vanille blinked at her, a scowl appeared on her forehead. "What?"

Serah turned away, still smiling. "Oh, nothing." She sang as she scooped up the last bit of ice cream and put it in her mouth.

They were sitting on a bench at the beach, looking at the waves. Soaking up some of the last sunlight before autumn made itself known with it's chilly winds.

"How was she? I didn't make it during visiting hours." She said after swallowing.

"I know. Well considering what she's been through, I would say that she's actually looking good-" Serah snorted, Vanille cut herself of and stared at her with feigned anger. "What, Serah? Why are you laughing?" She poked the Farron girl who kept her mouth shut.

"Nothing, I told you! Now continue, Light was looking good right?" She tossed her ice cream cup in the trashcan next the bench.

"Yes." Serah smiled largely again, Vanille shoved her with her shoulder. "Ugh, Serah! Whaaaaat?" She was growing frustrated.

"Nothing, just continue!" Serah shook her head and cleared her throat, Vanille waited until she had stopped smiling so mischievously before continuing.

"I mean she's been through a lot, and considering that, she looks quite good. I mean, she was still tired and all, but she was not spacing out or showing any particular fatigue or anything during the hours I was there. Also, the heart monitors beeps were steady the whole time." She tossed her ice cream cup as well. "And I happened to be there when she took her medicine. She thought the weatherman on telly was standing on her toe.." Vanille chuckled at the memory.

Serah smiled as well. "Well it's a good thing she seems fine." She then chuckled. "I don't know if I'll be able to handle her if she's going to be high at home..." She said and sat back, imagining every little mischievous thing a high Lightning could possibly think of doing.

"When she was little, she was actually quite the prankster." Serah said and smiled at the memory.

"No way!" Vanille smiled at her friend, excited to learn something new about the older Farron.

"Sometimes she's still playing pranks on me... she once switched my toothpaste with her numbing gel... my mouth was numb for hours..." Serah chuckled at Vanilles glowing eyes as the redhead laughed with her.

_Oh Vanille, why haven't you told me? Why are you trying to hide it?_

Serah smiled softly at her friend. Wondering if Vanille didn't tell her because she was unsure of how Serah would react to the fact that she liked girls, or more particularly, her older sister.

"Vanille, you know I love you like a sister, right?" She said and smiled warmly.

"D'aaaw, Serah!" Vanille smiled back and nudged the pinkette with her shoulder. "Of course I do, and you know I love you back."

Serah nodded and they sat there smiling, watching the night creep up from behind the ocean.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<br>_Don't forget to tell me what you thought or point out any grammar mistakes that I may have done!  
>I've never been good with grammar so I would appreciate any help! =)<p> 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Hey!**

_Are there still anybody out there...? _Haha.

I would like to start by saying;_**  
><strong>_

I am so so soooo sorry for making you all wait, it feel like ages since I uploaded this.  
>But to make a long (very long actually) story short, I'm just going to say that I now have internet again.<br>I've been experiencing troubles, and it has been annoying. But at least I'm finally back.

And even better, I'm back with a new chapter!

**All of the characters mentioned in this fiction belongs to Square Enix, I am merely borrowing them for the moment!  
><strong>_(But you all know that already anyway)_

Well here goes, I hope you enjoy Chapter Seven!

* * *

><p>"Hey."<p>

She turned around and smiled. "Hi Hope!"

He sat down next to her.

"So, you said you didn't want to be alone. Anything happened?" He asked. It wasn't like Vanille to hang out just because she didn't want to be lonely, she would often have ideas of what they were going to do together, not simply _'I don't want to be alone :('_ as she had wrote in the text she sent him.

Vanille nodded, still with her eyes glued to the horizon as Hope made himself comfortable next to her.

Hope grew even more worried. "What happened?"

He put a warm hand on her shoulder to comfort her, she turned to him and smiled softly in appreciation.

"Well, it's about Serahs sister, she collapsed the other day..." Vanille frowned automatically.

Hope blinked. He knew who Lightning where, but they didn't talk much. "Oh... how's Serah?" He asked, slowly stroking Vanilles back.

He knew Serah, _kinda_. But he knew Vanille cared about her greatly and if Serah was upset, Vanille would be upset.

Vanille nodded. "Well she's doing fine. Considering what happened."

"Good." He said. Unsure of how to continue.

"Lightning haven't left the hospital yet."

"Isn't she some kind of exercise nut? Must be hard on her..."

Vanille nodded.

They sat in silence and watched as the waves crept back and forth across the sand. Vanille eyed Hope through the corner of her eye. She had been so confused lately and was near to desperate for someone to talk to. But was Hope the one?  
>They had been friends for a few years, three to be exact. Since he moved from Palumpolum to Bodhum and was placed in her and Serahs class.<p>

She turned back to the ocean.

She trusted Hope more than anything, but they had never spoken to each other heart-to-heart. And she didn't know if bringing her confusion up would make things awkward.

She sighed. When she had texted Hope she had been determined to speak with him about the confusing feelings she had, but now she changed her mind. She leaned over and put her head on the boys shoulder. He looked at her a bit surprised but then smiled and rubbed her back.

Vanille smiled at him.

And in her mind deciding to talk to Serah instead.

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

Serah put her hand to the door-scan and let Vanille in before rushing off again, leaving Vanille surprised in the hall.

"Um, hi Serah..?" Vanille said as she caught up with the pinkette in the living room. It wasn't visible for others, but Vanille could se Serah was stressed, she wore her _'I'm-so-super-stressed-rigt-now-I-could-blow-any-minute_'-scowl. Or that was what Vanille called it anyway.

From the outside, Serah just looked a bit troubled with her slightly furrowed brows.

"Hey Vanille..." She sighed and looked around.

"So... she's finally coming home huh?" Vanille said in her attempt to cheer her up.

"Yeah, tomorrow, and I'm so nervous..." Serah said and briskly combed her hair with her fingers. Vanille blinked at her. She out her index finger to her bottom lip and scowled. "Why Serah?"

Serah turned to her and sighed. "Snow have been living here since Light was sent to the hospital. And I'm trying to eliminate evidence of his long term presence..." Serah met eyes with Vanille who smiled brightly at her. "What?" She said as the girls smiled didn't fade.

"Nothing, it's just nice that he's been there for you. But-" She looked around in the apartment. "-what is there to eliminate? How will Lightning know that he's been here?"

Serah scoffed. "It's like she can smell him... She once came home an hour after he had left and she stopped at the door and was like '_Snow's been here_..' and went on about her business!" Serah threw up her arms in defeat and sat down on the couch. Finally admitting that there where no more that could be done. "I don't know how she does it but she's able to tell..."

Vanille stared at Serah in awe. Lightning sure was a special girl to say the least.

"Does she dislike Snow for any reason?" She moved to sit down next to Serah.

"No, I don't think so. I haven't asked her, but I think she's just looking after me, doesn't want me to get hurt." _Like she where..._ She frowned. "Also I don't think their personalities match." She added.

Vanille had seen the frown, and as it wasn't leaving Serahs face, she had to ask. "What's wrong Serah?"

Serah twitched and looked at Vanille. "Huh?"  
>"You frowned?"<br>"Oh.."  
>"...?"<p>

Serah knew she wasn't supposed to talk about this with anyone, she had promised Light. They didn't even talk about it and she wasn't even sure of what had happened...

...but would it really hurt to tell Vanille?

She shook her head. She was sure that Vanille wouldn't tell a soul, but a promise is a promise, and they are made to last forever unless something other is said. She wouldn't want to cross her sister of all people. "You know what, nevermind!" She smiled. "You came over here for a reason, didn't you?"

Vanille bit her tongue before her mind slipped, better not press the matter. She knew better than to aggravate Serah. She knew that even the older Farron sister was cautious around the younger Farron when she was in a bad mood.

"Yeah..." She said slowly when she remembered the reason to come over. She had made up her mind to talk about this confusion. "Well I've been..." She began and turn to look at Serah, who was waiting patiently. "Err.."

~( _)~

Serah kind of knew what troubled Vanille, or she could figure.

She smiled.

Vanille was just starting to realize, wasn't she? Why didn't she think about that before? Maybe Vanille herself didn't even know yet?

~(_ )~

"I've been..." She swallowed hard. "I've... I've been craving for ice cream all day! You want to get some?" She beamed and giggled nervously.

Serahs face fell and she blinked. _Lies._

The smile made it's way back to her lips. "Uhh sure Vanille, but we had ice cream just a few days ago.." She said and got up.

"Yeah I know, but whatever right? Hahah..." Vanille stood and twirled around, nervously walking through the door. Relieved that she had been able to buy herself some time.

Serah wasn't about to put Vanille to the wall, this was something the redheaded girl had to figure out on her own. She was certain that she would come to her whenever she's ready.

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

They could really use a more interesting roof. The medicines couldn't even make this funny or interesting.

Or at the least have more than the basic channels on the television. They didn't even have her favorite sport-science channel, and that was with the cheapest channels pack there were.

She sighed.

She was finally getting out of here at least.

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

"_Mmmmmh_~ I _love _strawberry ice cream!" Vanille purred and licked the light-pink cream in her cone.

Serah smiled. "Light loves strawberry ice cream as well."

Vanille looked up at this. "Really?"

Serah nodded, licking her own raspberry flavored ice cream before answering.

"She does, but she rarely eats ice cream anymore. Training for the Guardian Corps, you know." She said and shrugged.

Vanille nodded. "She told me she wanted to join the Corps when finishing highschool. But she never told me why." She frowned a bit and looked to Serah, noticing the sad smile she wore.

"Light never where good with touchy subjects, I think you've noticed that yourself." She said and kept eating her ice cream.

Vanille scoffed. "_'Touchy subjects', _try; _'She's not so good with feelings'. _You know, the only time she has ever said anything nice to me was when she was high..." She snickered. Serah smiled.

"She doesn't do that very much, no. The most affection I have received the past few years are a pat on the shoulder." She chuckled when Vanille looked at her and frowned. "Don't worry, I have come to accept it, actually. She's just like that. Nothing I can do."

Vanille nodded in understanding. "Yeah, you can't really _force _her into hugging you, can you?" She said and finished her ice cream.

"My point exactly." Serah said and dusted of her hands, she too had finished her ice cream. "So..." She said and made herself comfortable, resting her crossed arms on her knees, looking at her redheaded friend. Who sat there, looking at her, puzzled.

She had decided she would try and pry something out of Vanille before the day ended. Gently of course.

"I don't think you came to my apartment only to invite me to have ice cream with you." She said, eyeing the redhead curiously.

Vanilles tongue got caught in her throat and she quickly turned away from Serahs curious gaze, acting way more suspicious than she had intended. "No, I just wanted ice cream." She said in an cracked, high-pitched voice that much resembled that of Hope when he started to mature.

Serah snickered. "Really?"

Vanille nodded briskly. "Just ice cream."

Serah nodded silently and studied the back of her dear friends head. "You know that you can tell me anything, Vanille." She said softly.

The redhead sighed and looked at her childhood friend with furrowed brows. "I know that Serah it's just..." She sighed.

_Score! _

Serah had to stop herself from grinning.

"It's just that..." Vanille frowned and hung her head. She had been so confused, and she wasn't even sure that talking to someone was going to make it okay, she might even end up more confused.

She glanced back up at Serah. A gentle and understanding smile graced her lips. Vanille felt a pang of guilt in her chest. Why was she having trouble talking about this with Serah, her closest friend?

_Serah_, who had been so good to her all these years that they had been friends.

_Serah_, who never pushed her into unknown waters and never let go of her hand on their ventures.

_Serah_, who had always been completely honest with her, about whatever or whoever, Serah had always been open and honest.

She _deserved _to be part of this, she _deserved _to know what troubled Vanille.

Vanille returned the gentle smile.

"I have been confused lately..." She said and paused. She looked down upon her hands in her lap. Her orange-pinkish nail polish was coming off, and she busied herself with pealing whatever she could off of her nail as she mulled over how to continue.

Serahs smile widened, finally Vanille was opening up. Seemingly determined to ease the load on her shoulders.

"Confused?" She asked when Vanille had been silent for several seconds.

"Yeah..." She stopped fiddling with her nails and sat up straight and turned in her seat so that she was facing Serah. "Well... have you ever like... discovered something that makes you question who you are?" She asked, Serah picked up on the slight hesitation in the redheaded girls voice.

"Well yes." She replied softly. "But that's only natural for teens you know? We're supposed to be confused." She said and smiled reassuringly.

Vanille stared at her pink haired friend.

"Yeah you're right..." She smiled carefully.

They sat in comfortable silence as Serah waited for Vanille to go on, but she soon realized that the redhead had floated off into her own little universe.

"What is it that has you confused Vanille?" She asked. Leaning forward a little, placing her elbows on her knees and supporting her chin on the palm of her hands.

Vanille snapped back to reality and blushed lightly, her mouth growing tense. Only showing as a thin line.

"Well..." She mulled, and blushed, and fiddled with her fingers while shifting in her seat, before looking up at Serah and blushing a little bit more. She wished for Serah to just understand and make everything alright with her wise words like she always did.

Unbeknownst to her, Serah knew exactly what was up. She just didn't say anything. Not because she wanted to torture the poor girl, no, because she wanted her to admit it. She knew that Vanille needed to say it.

Vanille gave up on trying to mentally tell Serah what was up and hung her head once more.

"Well I'm confused because I'm not the kind of girl I always thought I where..." She finally said. "I have noticed things that I never even considered before, noticed stuff about myself and others." She frowned.

"I don't have a problem with it, it's just new and confusing to suddenly change just like that, y'know?" She finished and hesitantly looked up at Serah.

Whom smiled and nodded.

"So what are you saying?" She said and kept smiling at the struggling red head.

Vanille studied her friends features. It was now or never, she was going to ease this pressure she had been feeling since days past.

"I guess what I'm saying is that I am..." Her tongue got stuck in her throat, but she wasn't going to quit just like that. No, she had made up her mind.

"I guess what I'm saying is that my view of myself have changed, my future dreams and plans y'know... and how I view others..." She didn't know what to say.

"I seem to take notice in the little things now, like when a girl smells good or she looks good, it's not the '_Oh I'd love to have that perfume' _or '_I'd love to have that jacket'_, it's like I view the actual _girl _more than her accessories now a days..."

Serah nodded. "So you're _gay_?" She asked bluntly.

Vanille blushed furiously at this, making Serah snicker. "N-..no? Or.. I-... I guess I am..? Probably bi." Vanille had struggled, but immediately felt relieved. She had said it, she had told Serah what had been doing through her head the last few days.

The only thing she hadn't been very specific with was the particular girl that graced her mind the whole time she spoke.

Her eyes found Serahs, her friend was smiling lovingly towards her. Vanille carefully smiled back.

She hadn't realized it, but now as a weight was lifted from her shoulders, she realized that she had actually been scared of rejection, scared that Serah was going to leave her just because she would be creeped out or something.

"I'm so glad you told me Vanille." Serah said as she kept smiling. She gently took Vanilles hand and slowly rubbed her thumb over the back of her hand. "I'm glad you trust me."

Vanille nodded. "I don't know why, but I was kinda scared you'd leave me y'know..." She said and squeezed Serahs hand.

Serah blinked.

"Why? It's not like you're the only girl who happens to like other girls around here." She said and smiled reassuringly.

Vanille blinked. "You know others?"

Serah snickered. "Yeah, it's more common than you may think Vanille." She looked at her friend, amused at her surprise.

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

"Y'know, I've been so nervous over nothing really..." Vanille sighed.

She and Serah had been sitting at the beach for a while, watching the sunset, but now they where on their way back to Serahs apartment since the wind was getting chilly.

"I understand." Serah nodded.

"You do?" Vanille looked at the pinkette.

"Yeah, I mean, you've believed your whole life that you're into guys, and suddenly you're not only into guys but girls are suddenly of your fancy too. I can imagine your confusion." She nodded. "And with the confusion, uncertainty follows. I mean, not everyone is okay with gays, y'know."

Serah looked to Vanille. She had a small scowl on her forehead and a slight pout graced her lips, eyes steadily watching the ground in front of her feet.

After a few seconds of silence, Serah bent forward so that she broke Vanilles stare.

"What is important to remember is that the people that really loves you will love you _none-the-less_."

She smiled brightly.

Her smile made the corners of Vanilles mouth turn up, and she smiled back. "M-hm!" She nodded.

They reached the Farrons apartment and stopped. Serah turned to Vanille, and before the redhead knew it, she was trapped within her friends arms in an embrace.

Blinking at first, it took a few seconds before Vanille returned the embrace. She wasn't used to Serah being intimate like this, but it made her happy.

Serah slowly rubbed Vanilles back. She had hugged her really for emphasis, to show that she really was okay with her being herself. She was glad that Vanille had dared to speak with her, and she was even more happy when her friend accepted her affection.

She took a step back and held Vanilled shoulders, looking at her friend and smiling, before tomorrow made it's way into her mind. Her face fell.

"Vanille, would you like to stay the night? I will probably need a lot of help when Light comes home tomorrow..." She said, as images of a high Lightning played in her mind. She frowned slightly.

Vanille smiled, she didn't really feel like going home to her roommates anyway. Besides, she had a drawer at Serahs filled with the basics since she had a tendency to forget her stuff whenever she came over.

"Sure Serah, I'll stay and help you out."

Serah smiled at her friend, glad that she would have at least one more pair of hands to handle Light when she came home.

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

She woke up to the muffled sound of someone moving around. She furrowed her brows in annoyance and fussed in the bed, turning away from the source of the sound.

A light, rosy scent filled her senses, she recognized it from somewhere but her sleepy mind wasn't working that fast.

She opened her eyes slowly.

A room with cream white walls revealed itself in her blurry vision. She blinked a few times and more details came into view.

The brown cupboard with a spherical lamp came into view.

_Cool, when did I get one of those?_

Vanille tiredly rubbed her droopy eyes. She froze.

_Wait._

She looked up and around the room. This wasn't her room, this wasn't even her apartment!

She sat up in the soft bed, the sweet and rosy scent still lingered in her nostrils as she looked down at the covers she had snuggled in all night.

They where light pink with sakura flowers.

She stroke the covers, she knew now where she were.

_Claire._

She smiled to herself. This night had been the best night of sleep she had in a long time. This rosy scent had lulled her to sleep last night after Serah had suggested that she stay the night. Saying that she could just as well sleep in Lightnings bed since she wasn't coming home yet for a few hours.

She got up and made the bed as neatly as she could and then changed from her jammies. Serah was already up, she could hear her humming in the kitchen.

Before stepping out of the room, Vanille threw a last glance over her shoulder, making sure she left everything nice and tidy. Satisfied, she turned the handle and went to the kitchen.

~( ^_^)~ ~(^_^ )~

Everything was ready to go, the few things she had at the hospital had been nicely folded by the nurse that had been tending to her during her stay. She had tried to convince the nurse that she could really do it herself, but the nurse had only waved her off and insisted on folding everything and putting it in her rucksack.

She took a last look at the room that had been her home for the past week.

_Not gonna miss this place..._

She grabbed the rucksack and walked out of the room without a second glance.

Outside there where a wheelchair waiting to take her to the car. A nurse and a medical technician was coming with her to make sure she was well suited at home.

She sighed. She didn't like this one bit. She wasn't weak, she could walk. She didn't need that wheelchair.

Her eyes met with the gentle nurse. Her brown eyes pleaded for her to sit, as if she knew what was going on inside of Lightnings head.

Lightning frowned, but complied and sat down in the wheelchair. The nurse smiled before gently pushing her towards the exit.

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

The car ride was _excruciating_, long and warm and uncomfortable.

But at least she was home.

_Home_.

Just standing on front of the steel door felt somewhat _odd_. In the past, she didn't really put any though into anything, she took her apartment for granted. She took Serah for granted. She took for granted that she would be here tomorrow, doing the same thing as she always did.

But that all changed that faithful morning she collapsed.

Her hand curled up into a ball.

That all changed the day she had to fight for her life in that hospital bed.

She released a breath, and placed her pale hand on the door scan, and the door swooshed open.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

Don't forget to leave me a review so I know what you think  
>And if you find any grammatical errors or something like that, please inform me of this! ^^<p>

Thanks for reading!  
>And again, sorry for the wait!<p> 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Hiya!**

****I am trying to improve, I don't know if I am though, haha.

Thank you, all of you who review on my chapters!  
>Your support is greatly appreciated and I enjoy reading every single one of your comments ^^<p>

(And it's totally fine to message me, I'm actually quite social. You whom this concerns know who you are! =) -hugs-)

_**Disclaimer!  
><strong>I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this fanfiction! Square Enix is the proper owner of everything except the plot!_

__Hope you'll enjoy reading Chapter Eight!

* * *

><p>As soon as the door got open, the medical technician entered her apartment with a big box in hand. Lightning could hear Serahs voice greet him and direct him to her room.<p>

Second to enter was the nurse, she was holding a bag that belonged with the heart rate monitor that the medical technician rushed off with, and on her other arm, she held a few metal sticks and another bag. Serah greeted her as well and directed her the same way the medical technician had rushed off to.

It felt a bit weird to be home again, she had to admit that.

She looked around the hallway, at her and Serahs shoes and at their jackets that hung neatly on hooks off of the wall. Her shoes was in the wrong order and her jacket next to the guests hook was hanging the wrong way around. Which meant that Snow had been here. That thickhead always managed to mess up her order of things.

She sighed and smirked lightly. She was actually pleased to see that he had been there, this ordeal would had been too much for Serah to handle on her own. Serah sure was strong, but not _that _strong.

The room was quiet, which made her look down the hall. Serah stood there and was looking towards Lightnings room, before turning to her older sister, smiling.  
>"Light." She said, her voice was filled with relief at the sight of her sister standing there without even struggling for balance. "I'm so glad that you're home." She said and her smile grew wider. Lightning studied her sister for a second before giving her a careful smile back. Serah beamed at this and almost skipped to her side, gently taking her hand in both of hers.<p>

Eight days had passed since Lighting had been taken to the hospital. Serah guessed that she hadn't been eating much or she couldn't contain the nutrients from her food. She was looking at Lightning hand, it was pale and a bit skinnier than usual. But at least she was alive and finally at home.

"Come, we should see that your room is properly set up." She said as she met eyes with her older sister, and gently led her down the hallway.

Seras hand was warm on hers, Lightning relished the touch. Serah rarely came close now a days, mostly because Lightning herself had grown so distant. There where moments she hated herself for it, but she knew that it was a necessity if she where to become a soldier. At least that is what she told herself.  
>Seconds later she found herself on the doorstep to her room, Serahs warm hand still gently grasping her digits.<p>

Lightning immidiatly spotted Vanille, whom was curiously peeking over the technicians shoulder. She shook her head and looked elsewhere, those disturbing tickles that had appeared not to long ago was still there. She had tried to ignore them, but honestly, the redhead entered her mind more than she'd like to admit.  
>Deciding to temporarily ignore the oblivious redhead, she watched what the others where doing.<p>

The nurse and the medical technician was setting up the stuff that she needed, Serah was still holding her hand, gently rubbing her thumb back and forth across the back of her hand and the redhead was tip-toeing to see over the broad shoulders of the man that was working quickly.

With so many people in her room, it felt crowded. She was used to only having herself in here, and Serah on occasion. She was almost getting dizzy with the activity.

The nurse asked Serah something and the younger Farron left Lightnings side.

Lightning stood still and watched the commotion from her spot at the door, her head was kinda foggy, and she didn't have the energy to help anyone.  
>But she would probably get shooed away anyway.<p>

Her eyes found their way back to Vanille several times. But this time, she let them rest a few seconds longer.  
>Feeling eyes on her, Vanille slowly turned around. Her eyes met with paler than usual azure blue.<p>

Her heart thumped, and butterfly-like sensations started tickling her senses. She smiled nervously and carefully made her way over to Lightning whom only watched her approach. None of them knew that the younger Farron was watching them carefully, with a smirk present on her lips.

Vanille stopped a few feet from Lightning. She kept her smile on as she studied the older girls face. Her eyes didn't have the same kind of energy they always used to have, but they where still strong and silent. And her skin was still paler than normal, but it was only natural considering what she had been through. Lightning held the younger girls gaze. She felt relieved. Vanille wasn't looking at her as if she was going to drop dead any minute, just like most of the people at the hospital had done and just like she had done when she came to visit. Lightning smirked, and noticed the little pink hue that spread across Vanilles cheekbones as she did so.

"Hi." Lightning said silently, trying not to startle the girl.

"Hey." Vanille replied coyly. She averted her gaze to her feet. "So, you're home.. how does it feel?" She glanced back up at the older girl.

Lightning shrugged. "Feels good to be out of that horrid place at least." She crossed her arms and glanced around her room.

Vanille couldn't help but smile as Lightnings gaze found it's way to her eyes, and stayed there. She wasn't averting her eyes like she usually did after a few seconds. She really did love gazing into those azure blue orbs, she could see that now. Her cheeks grew warm, but not enough for her to hide them.

Lightning smirk grew at this, which caused the redhead to beam back at her.

~( ^_^)~ ~(^_^ )~

"Does it feel good to have her back at home?" Vanille leaned on the counter and smiled at Serah, whom where reading on one of the medicines she was supposed to give Lightning in a few. The latter had gone to sleep not long after the technician had left. The nurse had stayed a few moments to help Serah understand the medicines and the effect they would have.

"It's unreal, I mean... I thought I was going to lose her, you know.." She put the container she was holding down on the counter and smiled back at Vanille. "I'm just a bit confused about these..." She motioned to the different containers in front of her and sighed. Vanille snickered.

"Yeah, I see why..." She said as she furrowed her brows while trying to pronounce the name of one of the drugs in her head.

Giving up, she shook her head.

"When are we supposed to wake her up anyway?" Vanille asked as she out her chin in the palm of her hand.

Serah checked her wristwatch. "She's been asleep since one, right?" Vanille nodded. "Then I guess we're supposed to wake her up now."

Something that proved to be easier said than done...

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

Her bed felt like home, a feeling she had missed really bad while on in the hospital.  
>But there where something else there too, something foreign.<br>She didn't feel it at first, but the bed held a certain woman's-touch that didn't belong to Serah.

She took a deep breath, and there it was. A sweet scent filled her lunges, and she knew exactly who smelled like that.

The redheaded girl entered her dreamy mind.

She was standing in a huge field, dressed in loose shorts and a womans shirt. Wherever she looked, there where nothing but mist. But she knew that it was a field, because she could feel the grass gently gracing her calves as they swayed in the wind.

It was peaceful and quiet.

A rustle in the grass made her turn around, there where nothing but mist, but she could just barely make out a silhouette of a person in the fog. She turned around fully, facing the character.

The closer it came, the more detail she could see.

The petite feet where beautifully graced with leather laced sandals. Stay-ups hugged those slender legs, but before things became interesting, a skirt swayed slowly as the character moved, along with a loose blouse.  
>The flowing red locks where what made her recognize the girl.<br>The redhead stopped a few inches from her face, looking deep into her eyes, trailing down her nose and stopping at her lips. A small smirk tugged at the corner of the redheads mouth.

Lightning closed her eyes, knowing what to expect.

"_Lightning_!"

~(_ )~ ~( _)~

Serahs stood outside Lightings door, mentally preparing herself for the task ahead. Vanille watched her from a few feet away.

Her first try was knocking on the door and carefully calling out Lightnings name. Which then escalated to going in and carefully touching her shoulder, and ending with Serah shaking her violently and calling out her name in fear that she was gone. At this, Lightning woke up and stared at Serah with groggy eyes, blinking a few times.

"What's the ruckus?" She freed herself from Serahs grip.

Vanille giggled and Serah released a shaky breath in relief.

Lightning heart skipped at the redheads giggles, but she tried her best to hide her blush and the fact that her tongue got stuck in her throat. She fuzzed over her sleeping shirt.

"Serah thought you where gone." Vanille shook her head.

"Serah, seriously?" She also shook her head, kinda wanting to slap her palm across her face.

Thinking about it, Serah realized that she might have overreacted just a little bit, five minutes had passed and she had panicked...

Lightning smirked at the ashamed expression on Serahs face.

"Well what did you wake me up for?" She asked and stretched.

Serah turned to Vanille whom approached the bed with a glass of water in one hand, and a few pills in the other. Lightning frowned, knowing what was coming.

"Oh bother..." She murmured as she accepted the items Vanille offered her making sure that she didn't touch the redhead since she would probably blush heavily if she did...

"These are the ones that make me weird..." She said as she studied the small pills in the palm of her hand, internally praying that she wouldn't do anything weird.

Serah and Vanille shared a glance.

"Do you want us to keep you company until it passes?" Serah offered, receiving a grunt in return.

"No thank you, I think I've made a fool out of myself one to many times already..."

Her mind wandered back to all the stories the nurses had told her about her crazy _'adventures_' she had talked about while on her meds.

Who would believe stories about a huge _whale_ crushing cities anyway?

When Serah and Vanille had Left the room, Lightning looked down upon her hands.

They where pale, and her knuckles where sticking out more than usual. She hadn't been eating a lot, mostly because some of her meds made her feel sick. And she just didn't grow an appetite laying about her room all day.

She sighed and put the first pill in her mouth, hoping that her want for food would come back soon.

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

Both Serah and Vanille had gone and checked on Lightning the last fifteen minutes. They hadn't entered her room, but they had pressed one ear at the door and listened for unusual sounds.

But Lightning seemingly remained calm.

"Are you sure she will be able to eat this close to taking her meds?" Vanille asked while cutting up the last peace of cucumber for their salad.

Serah nodded, a bit absent-minded. "Yeah, it didn't say anything about her appetite or something on this container." She was carefully stirring a pot of Bolognese while throwing a controlling glance at the meds next to her. "Maybe you could go check on her? Dinner's almost ready."

Vanille popped a piece of cucumber in her mouth as she nodded before making her way towards Lightnings room.

She stopped just outside the door.

She stared silently at it.

She had been nervous since Lightning came home, but she had done her best to hide it. And just being close to the door that lead to the older girls room made her heart pound in her ears. She frowned a bit.

_I really need to figure this out..._

She put a hand on her chest and took a deep breath.

Releasing it, she carefully put her hand on the doorknob, twisted it and slowly pushed the door open.

And was greeted by a empty room.

For a moment, time stopped as her brain processed all of the possibilities of the situation.

She willed herself forward, into the room. "Light?"

The door _slammed_ shut behind her, startling the young girl who immediately turned around.

A hand covered her mouth from behind and she was pulled towards the middle of the room. She grabbed the arm holding her over her stomach and tried to free herself, a husky voice entered her left ear with a rough hiss.

"_Sush_!"

She froze, and the hand over her mouth let go.

"You have to be _quiet_!" The same voice hissed in her ear.

Vanille would had done something, turned around and scolded Lightning for scaring her like that and also scold her because she should be in bed taking it easy.

But she was unable to do anything since Lightnings every breath tickled the skin of her neck and the vibrations from her voice could be felt on her ear. She would had done anything if her knees wasn't jello and would drop her to the floor if Lightning hadn't been holding her tight with an arm around her midsection.

"There's voices out there..." Lightning murmured. Oblivious of the impact she had on the younger girl.

Vanilles mind was playing tricks on her, playing scenes of unclean nature in her mind every time that husky, deep - yet feminine - voice made it's way past those perfectly shaped pink lips that Vanille could see out of the corner of her eye.

She wasn't even listening to what Lightning were saying, she just kept looking at those lips and thinking about the strong arm that held her close to the perfectly toned stomach underneath the t-shirt the older girl was currently wearing...

"-so you take the direct approach and distract whatever's out there while I sneak around the back and strike whatever weak spot I can find. Got it?"

Misty azure blue orbs connected with forest green.

The pink lips that she had been watching was just an inch away. The older girls short breaths was washing over her face, making her shiver with every breath.

"Light, what are you doing?"

Both Vanille and Lightning snapped and looked to the door.

There stood Serah with a questioning look upon her face.

"Serah!" Lightning let Vanille go and rushed up to the door, firmly closing it. "You're going to alert _them_!" She hissed.

Serah stared at her for a moment before turning to Vanille.

The color on the redheads face much resembled that of a traffic light. Serah smirked, she had seen the look on Vanilles face in their prior position.

Deciding to let the redhead process her thoughts, she turned back to her sister whom was listening intensively at the door.

The nurse had told her about this. She had told her that she needed to play along and gently put Lightning back on the earth. Otherwise it could result in an escape from Lightnings part.

One nurses had apparently dismissed Lightnings hallucinations and waved her off, which made Lightning somehow believe that she actually where going to be abducted to their mothership.

They had found Lightning in the lobby thirty minutes later.

Serah slowly put her ear to the door just like Lightning.

"What are we listening for?" She whispered.

Lightning put a finger to her lips, signaling for her to be quiet, then pointed at the door. "Can you hear that?" She whispered.

Serah listened intently. The only thing that could be heard was the television she and Vanille had been watching while preparing their food.

She nodded to Lightning whom nodded back.

Serah carefully reached out and touched Lightnings shoulder.

"Light, you have been taking meds..." She began carefully. "Right?"

Lightning nodded.

"The meds make slightly changes your perception of reality..."

Lightning nodded again.

"What you are hearing is the television." She spoke as if she had been speaking with a child, but she had figured it was probably the best she could do with Lightning in this state.

Lightning apparently understood the situation as she straightened herself and bushed slightly. Uttering a faint "Oh...".

Serah nodded. "There's food on the table." She opened the door and motioned for Lightning to go, which she did with haste.

She then turned to Vanille.

~( _)~ ~(_ )~

The moment she had dreaded had come, Vanille had hoped that Serah would just let this drop, but of course she wouldn't. She was a Farron after all, Farron could be a synonym for stubborn for all she knew.

She swallowed.

"I saw that..." Serah said, looking at Vanille with a sly little grin.

She could feel her face growing even hotter.

She was mentally preparing on defending herself, but to her surprise - and relief - Serah just winked at her and turned around, leaving her alone in Lightnings room.

She sighed, after this there were no use denying it anymore, where there?

_I really am crushing on Claire, aren't I?_

* * *

><p><em><em>_Pzzt!  
><em>Yes, this chapter was a bit short, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!

Please leave a review and tell me what you think! ^^

Constructive criticism is much appreciated.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Hiya! **

****A lot of you have been asking for the next chapter, haha_._  
><em>(I do that myself when I really like a fanfic, so I'm only honored that you're asking for it ^^)<em>

This chapter is a little bit shorter than the rest, my chapters are usually around 3k words I've noticed.

I hope you don't mind =)

_**Disclaimer:**_

_I don't own any of the characters, places or anything that you recognize in this fic, I am merely borrowing them for teh lulz.  
>Characters are property of Square Enix! <em>

__Hope you'll enjoy Chapter Nine!

* * *

><p>Serah watched her sisters slow movements as she moved around the small kitchen. The night had passed smoothly, the alarm on Lightnings heart monitor had not gone off, which meant that she had been stable all night.<p>

But she knew that this was not a promise that every night would be as smooth as this one. She remembered what Dr. Phoenix had said, Lightning was facing one heck of a battle, and she figured that the worst part was probably yet to come.

She sighed, which alerted the older teen. She glanced at the younger pinkette.  
>"How are you Serah?" She asked while she continued making her tea.<p>

Serah sat up straight. "Nothing, I'm just... you know.." She rubbed her newly awakened eyes.

Lightning nodded. "You're worrying..." She could feel her sisters worried gaze drill into her flesh from several feet away.

Serah frowned, but nodded.

"Tch..." Lightning sat down across from Serah, and silently started eating her breakfast.  
>"I know you don't like it when I worry Light..." Serah said.<p>

Her sister nodded. "I also know that you worry because you care." She replied.

Her reply made Serah smile, and worry just a little bit less.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

The bed was one of the softest beds she had ever rested upon.

She stretched and let a content sigh escape her lips.

The bed shifted as something made it's way onto it.

Vanille quickly sat up half way, but when she noticed it was only Lightning she relaxed and laid back down. "Hey there." She smiled.

But Lightning didn't respond. Vanille furrowed her brows and sat back up again. As she did so, she ended up nose-to-nose with Lightning, who where suddenly straddling her.

"Hey." She whispered. Vanille swallowed hard. She could feel Lightnings breaths on her lips.

She stared deep into those azure blues as Lightning gazed softly into her deep greens.

She shifted, and moved closer. Vanilles breath got caught in her throat when Lightnings lips grazed hers.

An barely audible 'eep' escaped her lips, which caused Lightning to smirk before closing the distance between them.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Mmh!"

Vanille snapped awake. Did she just moan?

She blushed and quickly looked around to make sure she was alone.

Seeing that she was alone in Serahs room, she let herself fall back upon the mattress with a soft thud. She sighed and hid her burning face in her hands.

_I can't believe my mind would play such a trick on me!_

She rubbed her face before getting up.

She walked up to Serahs full body mirror and took a look at herself. Her cheeks where still a bit red.

Sighing again, she walked towards the door.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"They are so going to win this season. I'm glad that I'm out of _that place _before the finals. The match is aired on the sports science channel."

She sat back and crossed her arms, smiling confidently while thinking about her favorite Blitzball-team.

Serah smiled brightly at her sister, she loved it how excited and engaged Lightning got whenever she talked sports. She was almost sad that she didn't enjoy it just as much so that she actually understood what she was talking about.

Most of what Lightning had just said was gibberish to her.

A soft click alerted them both and they turned their attention to the hallway. Vanille came into view, looking very tired.

"Good morning Vanille!" Serah chirped. "Did you sleep well?"

Vanille nodded. She had slept well, it was just her dreams that had bothered her the last hour of sleep she got.

Her eyes met with Lightning, throwing her into a flashback where Lightning was paying some extra attention to her neck.

She instantly turned red and hurried towards the counter to prepare her breakfast.

Lightning and Serah stared at her bemused for a second, before going back to their own breakfast.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

She sighed, poking the bruise that had slowly made it's way from her collarbone and was now stretching up on her neck. It would soon be visible above the collar of her sweaters.

She sighed again and let go of her sweater, the fabric bounced back to it's prior state, covering the growing bruise.

The bruises hadn't vanished as she had hoped. She though she was getting better..

She locked eyes with herself in the bathroom mirror and frowned. Her face looked emaciated, her cheeks wasn't as round and smooth as they had been just a few weeks ago, they where flat. And her cheekbones was much more visible now. She also had dark rings underneath her eyes.

She kept staring at herself. Her frown deepened and her brows furrowed. He face in the mirror was now glaring back at her with despise.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"How are you?" Serah reached the pills out for Lightning, which she accepted.

"I'm fine." She murmured, swallowing the pills with a mouthful of water. She put the glass in the sink and quickly walked away, Serah frowned when she heard her sister firmly closing her bedroom door behind her.

She sighed. "Daaaamn..." She whispered and hid her face in the palm of her hands. Rubbing her eyes.

Vanille was bemused. Serah rarely swore.

"What is it Serah?" She kinda knew already.

"Light... she's not fine, you heard it too, didn't you?" She looked up at her long time friend, her cheeks and eyes where pinkish. The sight made Vanilles heart fall.

"I think she just don't want to worry you..." Vanille tried.

"That's just it! That is what have me worried the most!" She flung her arms up in defeat and stared at Vanille, she was at the brink of tears. "What if she's in pain? Or if she herself is worried? What if she's more sick than we believe?"

Vanille was a bit taken aback by Serahs loud voice. "Well..." She didn't know what to say. She hadn't seen Serah like this.

The pinkette released a shaky breath. "I can't believe myself..." She rubbed her templets. "She's only been home three days today..."

They sat in silence. Not knowing what to say.

"Could you... could you try and talk to her?" Serah asked without looking at Vanille.

Vanille felt nervous, she wanted to say no, because she would probably be unable to keep embarrassing memories from her dreams out of her mind.

But she couldn't say no.

"Sure Serah." She got up and put a hand on Serahs shoulder. Hesitating for a second, before softly squeezing her shoulder and making her way towards Lightnings room.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Vanille knocked on Lightnings door after gathering her courage for a second.

"Serah, I told you that I'm okay." She heard the older Farron girl's voice on the other side of the wooden door.

"It's Vanille." She willed herself to say, overcoming the butterflies that was frolicking in her stomach.

"Oh..." She heard Lightning murmur from the other side. "Well I'm still fine."

"Serah didn't seem to think so..." Vanille said, she was unsure of what to say, she didn't want to upset Lightning and at the same time she had to keep her word to Serah.

"Serah's overreacting." Lightning replied bluntly.

Vanille shook her head. "Light, you know she loves you."

Lightning fell silent.

"Light?" Vanille put her palm to the door and leaned in, listening for the older girl.

"I know she does.." She heard her mumble.

"Lightning, it's really hard to hear you, and speaking through the door is really silly, can I come in?" Vanille asked when she heard Lightning mumble something incoherent.

"No."

Vanille stepped back and frowned. "Why?"

No answer.

Vanilles patience was wearing thin.

"Lightning?"

She heard muffled shuffling of feet coming closer to the door. Lightnings voice appeared much closer now.

"Because I don't want you to." She hear Lightning mumble. "My meds are making me funny..." She added.

"Okay... well..." Vanille looked around, unsure of what to do. "Well, y'know you could always talk to me if there's something on your mind, right?" She said, feeling content about herself for keeping her promise to Serah in a way.

She turned away and started walking off.

"Wait."

She turned back around. "Hm?"

Silence.

"Thank you Vanille."

Her heart melted, Lightning saying her name was still a bit unreal to her.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"She said that she's fine." Vanille announced as she made her way back to Serahs side in the couch. Serah frowned. "She's _always _saying that she's fine.. and look where _that _got her..."

Vanille could only nod. She agreed with Serah, but what could they do if Lightning refused to talk to them?  
>Barging in on her room and force her to speak wouldn't work. If she remembered correctly, Serah had told her about Lightning regularly attending an advanced self-defence class.<p>

From what Serah had told her, Vanille understood that Lightning could kick some serious bum. Apparently, most of the people attending the self-defence class Lightning attended was guys at least twice her own size.

She made a mental note to speak to Lightning about her fighting later.

"Ergh..." Serah caught Vanilles attention and she looked to her friend who had hid her face in the palm of her hands. "Do you think she's getting better? Or is she getting worse?" She said without looking up.

Vanille frowned. Serah had smiled more since Lightning came home, but she hadn't smiled whole-heartedly. She could understand why, but this stress was taking it's toll on the poor girl.

Vanille could see the dark rings that was starting to form under the other teens eyes.

"I don't know Serah, don't you think she should have learned from her collapse?"

Serah scoffed. "I wouldn't depend on it, Light is stubborn to the brink of _stupidity_, if you haven't noticed..." Serah smiled a sad smile at Vanille, who snickered at the joke.

"Oh I don't know Serah, you're not the easiest person to convince once you've made up your mind either." She giggled as Serah elbowed her in the ribs. "Vanille!" Her smile was growing warmer.

"I'm joking Serah!" She said and held up her hands in defeat before the younger Farron sibling decided to be rough. "I'm joking." She snickered.

Serah smiled for real this time. "I'm glad you're here Vanille, I think I'd go crazy if I had to deal with this myself..." Serah sighed and leaned her elbow on the coffee table on the side of the couch, leaning her chin in the palm of her hand.

Vanille nodded. "I know, that's why I've been staying for so long. I need to go home though, take a shower and change clothes..." She said and looked down upon herself, this was the third day she wore these clothes, and she was starting to feel a little bit disgusted with herself.

Serah eyed the redhead. "Oh right... are you going home today?" She asked, Vanille noticed the concern in Serahs voice.

"You don't want me to go, do you?" She asked and frowned. "Are you that stressed?"

Serah frowned and her brows furrowed, she nodded slowly.

This made Vanilles frown deepened. "I'll be quick, okay? I'll leave when Lightning has her nap and I'll be back before you know it!" She said in a cheery voice, trying to lighten the mood.

Serah nodded and even smiled a little, appreciating her bouncy friends attempt att cheering her up.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

_This is really stupid.._

She tossed the rubber ball towards the roof, catching it in her hand just before it hit her face.

_Feelings doesn't matter anyway. What good will I be to her once I'm a soldier?_

Toss, catch.

_Sure I'll make a decent amount of money, but I'll rarely be home..._

Toss, catch.

_She'll be better of with someone else, I should just forget about her..._

Toss, miss, smack.  
>"Ow goddamnit!"<p>

Lightning sat up and rubbed her nose, angrily clenching the rubber ball in her right hand, glaring at it.

_You're only wasting energy._

She relaxed.  
>This whole thing was stupid.<br>This sickness was stupid, these emotions was stupid, this rubber ball was stupid...

She took a closer look at it. This little green/brown rubber ball had been with her for years, but like most rubber balls, it hadn't dried up and stopped bouncing. This rubber ball had stayed in tip-top quality all these years.

She had got if from her father.

A Lump formed in her throat faster than she could suppress the pain in her chest, tears rested on her lower eyelid, threatening to fall.

She clenched the ball in her hand once again. The green and brown, he had said, symbolized his uniform. He loved that God damned uniform.

But Lightning hated it.

She hated it more than anything.

Yet she couldn't throw away this stupid little rubber ball that made her keep these painful memories.

She had tried any times. Only to return to her trashcan to pick it up and return it to it's proper place in her drawer.

_Why can't I let this go? Why can't I throw this stupid piece of junk away?!_

She sniffled. A tear fell from her cheek and hit the ball, surprising Lightning. She stared at the water that soaked the rubber surface of the only item she had kept from her father.

His voice echoed through her mind, as loud and clear as if it had been yesterday that she got it.

_"Claire, my girl!" _He had said. _"Come here for a moment, pops have something for you!"  
><em>She remembered everything so clearly, she had been overjoyed, she was getting a present!  
><em>"There you are!" <em>He had lifted her off the ground, spinning her around in the air before putting her down to sit on his lap. She had laughed.

_"Here, look what I have for you. This here is a rubber ball Claire, it bounces off of walls and lights up if you throw it!" _

He had helped her unpack the little ball, all the while she was seated in his lap.

_"Look, it's green and brown, just like pops rank!" _He had laughed at that, and she had been amazed just as any kid would had been.

_"I love you, my little lightningbulb." _

She firmly grasped the ball in her hand and gently threw it at the wall opposite of her, easily catching it when it bounced back. It still lit up, after all these years. Changing colors from light green to an orangey-brownish color.

She had been amazed as a kid, it had been her most precious possession.

But she looked at the ball with hatred now. Hatred born from years of pain.  
>"Fuck, I hate these meds.." She sobbed. She hated how these meds made her unable to contain her emotions.<p>

She dried of her face with her sleeve as the silent tears was soaking her skin.

When she was little, she wanted to be just like her dad. A General in the Wide-Area Response Brigade of the Guardian Corps.  
>But that had all changed. <em>I changed my mind even before the-... <em>

She stopped herself. Going there was far to painful.

_I know I made you a promise, and you raised me not to break promises and not to make promises that I couldn't keep, but..._

_I... I don't want to be a soldier anymore, dad._

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

__

Please leave me a review with your thoughts and opinions!  
>Constructive criticism is always very much appreciated! <p>


	10. Chapter Ten

**Hiyah! **

Okay, I went way off-topic in this authors note, haha!  
>I've been in a good mood lately and it helps me when I'm writing =)<p>

Wish I could give you all a bit of my energy, can't do that though, I can only share this new chapter with you all ^^

_**Disclaimer!  
><strong>__I don't own the characters mentioned in this fic. Square Enix does! I'm just borrowing them for teh lulz!_

Hope you'll enjoy Chapter Ten of Fatum Amor!

* * *

><p>Her body ached and it hurt to move. But she tried anyway, because it hurt even more to lay still. Her head was pounding and so was her eyes, she couldn't see properly. Through the ringing in her ears she could hear someone crying and talking in distress.<p>

And there where this frantic beeps that just wouldn't go away, however, she couldn't tell if they where in her mind or actual beeps.

She squeezed her eyes shut, they hurt like hell.  
>Trembling hands made their way to her templets, and she pushed as hard as she managed despite her spasming muscles. But her efforts to soothe the pain didn't help at all.<p>

A painful groan escaped her clenched teeth.

She furrowed her brow and focused her vision, the ringing in her ears got louder and her whole body started pounding, she was struggling but was able to lean on her elbows.

Who was crying?

She could see a creamy white something with a light-pink blob on top, the rest of her room looked pretty much like goo. An orange something with a red blob on top moved closer, much closer.

And then there where voices that could be heard over the ringing.

"-and the machine just won't stop beeping, what's happening?!"

"Serah! She's conscious!"

Lightning recognized the voice, and the sweet aroma that entered her nostrils once the orange-pink-blob came closer only confirmed her suspicion. _Vanille._

A sense of relief filled her body, as if everything would be okay just because _she _was there. She frowned and fell back onto her covers, holding her head in her hands. This wasn't going to be okay just because _she _was here, and she had to understand that.

Vanille can't do a thing about her condition, she's no doctor.

The pounding in her body and the ringing in her ears was not such a nuisance anymore. It was still there, but she could handle it at this level.

The heart monitor had slowed down aswell, only beeping every once in a while. She released a heavy breath, and it felt like her ribcage would collapse. Wrapping her arms around herself, she slowly rolled over and laid in fetal position while trying to relax.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Yes, she's conscious, she's moving around on her own now." Serah explained to the nurse on the other side of her pink cellphone, her voice heavy with unshed tears. "No, I don't think she'd appreciate that. She just wants to be away from everything y'know."

She nodded. "Yeah." Pause. "Thank you, I'll do that. Bye."

She ended the call and looked up from her locked cellphone. "The nurse said we should put her in a warm bath or in a lot of warm blankets and give her an extra dosage of her painkillers and the relaxation meds." Serah explained to Vanille.

Vanille had been watching Lightning during her seizure, not knowing what to do. Her heart ached at the pain that was visible in Lightnings eyes as she twisted and turned in her bed.

When it had passed, she had just rolled over and was now lying there motionless except for the rise and fall of her chest as she panted.

Her breaths sounded cut off somehow, like she couldn't use the full capacity of her lunges.

Vanille frowned and turned away. "I'll get the meds." she murmured when she passed her friend. Serah nodded and stepped forward towards the wheezing Lightning.

She kneeled next to the bed to get closer to her sister so that she would hear her if she spoke. As she did this, she also noticed the bruise that was spreading from her collarbone to her neck.

She swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat, looking away for a moment to gather herself.

When she looked back upon her sister, Lightning had opened her eyes half-way to look at her.

"Hey." Serah managed a small smile. She slowly reached her hand towards Lightning, gently touching her cheek. Lightning didn't break eye contact and didn't seem bothered by the touch, so Serah gently stroke her soft cheek with her thumb.

"How are you feeling Light?"

Lightning sighed. "Like shit..." she murmured after gathering her strength.

Serah nodded. What a stupid question anyway, of course she would feel like shit after a seizure like that, but she felt like she had to ask.

"I've been on the phone with the hospital." Serah said, she spoke slowly to make sure Lightning could follow despite being in pain. Lightning winced and frowned. "They're not coming over, are they?" she murmured, praying that they would stay away.

She have had her fair share of nurses and doctors for a while.

Serah smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry, I told them that you didn't want to already. But they said that you need to be warm and you need your pills. So either a warm bath or lots of blankets, you get to choose."

Lightning hadn't really though about it, but now that Serah mentioned that she needed to be warm, she realized how cold she where. It was like lying down on a windy hill after a hot shower. She shuddered.

Serah noticed the goose bumps on Lightnings arms, it worried her. The nurse had told her that the seizure was due to the virus affecting muscles near the heart, and that Lightning would suffer from poor circulation afterwards.

This information had chilled Serah to the bone.

"I... I'll take the bath please, I need it anyway..." Lightning murmured after a while. Remembering that she couldn't remember the last time she showered. It was probably the day she got home.

Serah nodded and was just about to get up when she remembered that Vanille had gone off to fetch Lightnings pills.

_I wonder what she's doing..._

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

She had made it to the kitchen, but not further.

Her knees gave up and sent her falling down to the floor. Her whole body had been shaking.

She tried to keep the pain inside, but she couldn't. The pain spilled out of her in the form of weak whimpers and tears.

Lightning was severely ill, and she had to face that. She had realized, when she stood there and watched the girl she liked shake in pain, that she had fooled herself. She had made herself believe her own lies that everything would be fine and that Lightning would be back to her old self soon.

But she believed it because she wanted it to be true. But it wasn't.

She knew that Lightning was strong and a true fighter who wouldn't give up in the first round, but the fact that there was a chance that she wouldn't be able to make it made her heart sore.

So she sat there, with her back against a cabinet. Tears was streaming down her face, and she couldn't stop them.

"Get it together Vanille..." she rubbed her puffy eyes in an attempt at stopping herself from crying. She took deep breaths to calm herself. _She's going to make it. Claire is an awesome person. Strong and confident, she'll definitely make it!_

Feeling better, she got up on her feet.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"There you are." Serah said once Vanille reentered Lightning room. "Thanks." she accepted the cup of water and the pills from Vanille.

"Here you go, Light."

As Lightning struggled with sitting up and taking her pills, Serah turned to Vanille. "She wanted the bath, could you go and pre-heat the water?"

Vanille simply nodded and went off.

Serah turned back to her sister, catching the older Farron glancing after the redhead that was leaving the room, before going back to her pills.

Serah smirked.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"It's to hot..." Lightning whined as she dipped her hand in the water. Serah did the same and sighed. "Light, it's lukewarm..."

Lightning mumbled something incoherent and stood up.

Lightning started tugging at the hem of her shirt. Vanille saw this and turned bright red, leaving the small bathroom instantly. Lightning smirked, she had secretly been watching the redhead to see what kind of reaction it would bring.

Serah too turned towards the door to leave.

"Thank you... for helping me I mean.." Lightning said quickly, before Serah had the chance to leave. The younger pinkette stopped and turned back to her sister and smiled. "You've been there for me all my life, it's just fair that I do the same for you now." she stepped out of the bathroom. "Just give me a shout if you need anything." she said, before closing the bathroom door.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Lightning took a moment to look at herself in the mirror, her eyes betrayed the poker face she wore. Her eyes were screaming with displeasure.

She had removed her clothing and was standing in front of the mirror in her birthday suit. She could see her ribs without sucking in her stomach, her toned arms had diminished to a state she never thought would happen, and her eyes still had dark rings underneath. Caused by her lack of energy partially because of her meds, but mostly because she didn't sleep very well.

She lowered her gaze. Bruises had appeared here and there all over her chest.

Shuddering at the sight of herself, she cursed in her mind for what she had allowed herself to become. Making a promise to force herself to eat more, despite the meds that made her feel sick.

She needed to eat more, no matter if she threw up or not, she couldn't keep doing this.  
>She knew that if she didn't eat to gain energy, she was lowering her chances at becoming healthy and the risk of her not making it became sky-high.<p>

The nurses had gone on and on about her energy levels, so she kinda knew exactly what her body would do with her if she didn't get the nutrients she needed.

She locked eyes with herself and memorized her face, making a promise that she would never look the same way again, before stepping into the warm water waiting for her in the tub.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"You seem content." Vanille noted out loud as she glanced at Serah, who returned her glance.

"Yeah, I think Light is feeling better now." she said, smiling softly. Vanille stared at Serah with a bemused expression. Serah chuckled.

"She has refilled the tub twice now, I think she's de-stressing." Serah explained.

"Oh!" Vanille chuckled. "Speaking about de-stressing, how are you doing Serah?"

Serah shrugged. "I haven't really been paying attention to myself lately, I think you understand. But now that you mention it-" she reached her arms up and stretched. "-I think I am a bit stressed..." furrowing her brows, she sent a sad smile at Vanille.

"It's understandable, Serah. You've been watching over Lightning 24-7 since she came home." Vanille frowned a bit while Serah avoided eye contact. "Don't think you can fool me, I know that you sneak up to check on her every hour of the night.." she reached out and put a warm hand on Serah shoulder, earning an appreciative smile from the pinkette.

"I can't help it, I don't sleep well..." the younger Farron admitted. "I get these thoughts that the heart monitor is malfunctioning and that she's not... you know..." Serah blinked a few times, Vanille could tell that the subject was hard on the girl and nodded to let her know she understood what she meant. "I have to check on her anyway to make sure that everything's alright, to make those thoughts stop. She seems to sleep well though." Serah said and released a troubled breath Vanille nodded.

"You haven't talked to Snow in a while, have you?" Vanille asked as she let go of Serahs shoulder, the latter shook her head.

"A little, but not for real. He's been busy at work. You know that Lebreau's father has a bar? He's been helping out over there." she said and checked her phone to see if she had missed anything, which she had not. "And I've been busy with... well you know." she said and shrugged, putting her cellphone back in her pocket.  
>"I sent him a text telling him that Lightning had a seizure and that I was scared, he's working right now though so he haven't replied yet." she added.<p>

Vanille nodded. "Don't let this thing with Lightning tear you guys apart, I know you love and need each other, okay?" she smiled, and received a smile from Serah in return.

"Thank you Vanille, it's sweet of you to be thinking about us in this situation."

Vanille nodded. "Well someone has to, I can tell you're not talking as much as you usually do."

Serah chuckled. "Thank you anyway."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

A knock on the door pulled her from her mulling. "Yes?" she asked, her voice heavy by the meds that made her drowsy.

"I'll start with lunch soon, and it's almost time for your medicine." she had to concentrate to fully hear what Serah was shouting through the door.

"Okay, thanks." she said and went back to staring at the soap bubbles that floated around in the water. She didn't really want to leave her bath, this along with the pills had really helped her relax. Thinking of it, she hadn't been this relaxed in a long time. And it had been even longer since she took a bath just because.

Sure she went to the beach every summer to enjoy the water and the sun, but most of the time, as soon as she entered the water she was working out. As with everything.

Going for a walk always turned into a race with herself.

Carrying groceries up the stairs always turned to a challenge were she had to finish as soon as possible.

Even basic chores like vacuuming became a game of working out.

Thinking about it, she probably where quite the excercise nut...

She shrugged to herself and got out of the bathtub.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Oh, so these make her drowsy?" Vanille asked with a surprised expression as she stood in the kitchen, leaning on the counter and reading on the container of pills that she had passed to Lightning this morning.

Serah looked up from the toaster. "Well yes, they're supposed to relax her muscles and psyche. Relieving the stress on her heart, you know." she looked back onto their toasts. You had to keep an eye on this old thing, Lightning had forgotten to watch it several times and the toaster had burnt the bread to crisps and started the fire alarm.

Vanille put the container back onto the counter.

They both stopped what they were doing when they heard swearing from the bathroom.

They sent an unsure glance at one another before Serah pulled the plug on the toaster and walked over to the bathroom door.

"Light? Are you okay in there?" she put her ear to the door to hear better. Lightning was mumbling curses in alphabetical order in there. "Light?" she tried again.

"It's nothing!" her older sister growled.

"You're cursing..." Serah noted, she heard Lightning stop struggling with whatever she was doing in there.

"Well yes..." the tone on the older girls voice could only be interpreted as shame. Serahs eyebrows shot up at this, surprised over the change of tone.

"Lightning, what did you do?"

Silence met her.

"Lightning?"

She heard troubled grunts from inside. "Serah this is really embarrassing, okay? But... I can't get my clothes on... I can barely lift my arms.."

Serah stood frozen on the spot, holding back snickers, but it was a challenge.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, Lightning was a very private person, and she knew better than to barge in and start dressing her naked big sister.  
>Lightning was quiet for a while.<p>

"I dunno..." she mumbled after a while.  
>"You can't sit in there untill the medicines wear off, you have to eat..."<br>A grunt was her only response.

"What's going on?" Vanille came up behind Serah.  
>"Nothing." could be heard from Lightning on the other side of the door.<br>Vanille sent Serah a confused look as Serah motioned for Vanille to lean in closer. She then whispered in her ear so that Lightning wouldn't hear them, explaining the situation.

The redheads cheeks soon matched the color of her hair. "What?!"  
>"Serah!" Lightning growled from the other side of the door. "You told her!"<br>Serah snickered.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

One embarrassing half an hour later, Lightning was sitting in the kitchen fully dressed, nibbling on a piece of toast.

The whole thing ended with Serah getting tired and frustrated of her childish sister, so she swung the door open and went in before anyone could react.

Vanille and Lightnings cheeks where still slightly pinkish.

"Here's your medicine, Light." Serah put a few pills on the table next to Lightning, together with a glass of water.

Lightning frowned, knowing what kind of pills those where. She considered not taking them at first, but the way both Serah and Vanille watched her, waiting for her to take them, made her feel awkward. So she downed them quickly and went back to eating her toast.

She had decided that it might be best not to be alone when taking the pills that got her high. She was watching Serah and Vanille do the dishes when she started feeling the medicines effect. She guessed that her empty stomach made her body absorb them quicker for some reason.

She looked around the kitchen to entertain herself, but no matter how much she tried to find other things to look at, her eyes still ended up on Vanilles swaying hips as she walked around the kitchen, putting things back where they belonged.

She could feel a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, but with a lot of effort she managed to keep that in check.

"All done!" Serah announced and swung around, drying her hands on a towel. Her eyes fell on Lightning, whom hadn't noticed her sisters announcement and was still watching the redhead as she was putting back the last couple of things in the lower cupboards.

Serah shook her head and smiled at her sister. _Oh you._

She had only seen her check someone out this openly once before, and that didn't turn out good. If they were meant to be, she was sure that Vanille wasn't going to hurt Light like that other vermin of a woman did.

Serah shook her head and neatly hung the towel back were it belonged. She always got very emotional whenever she thought of this woman who destroyed her sister just a few years ago.

Lightning had not dared dating anyone before, so why did that snake have to-...

She stopped herself and took a deep breath, wasting energy on getting angry over something that could not be changed was futile.

"What is it Serah?" Vanille suddenly asked, making the pinkette turn around again. She was met with Vanilles concerned gaze and Lightning cloudy stare. "What?"

"Well you sighed heavily, something's up?" the redhead recognized that sigh though, she knew that it meant that Serah was not in her best mood. She could also see it in her eyes, something was definitely on her mind.

Serah looked from Vanille to Light and from Light to Vanille.

She sighed again. "No, it's nothing."

"Okay..." Vanille didn't sound too convinced, but she didn't ask anything else.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

They didn't know why, but the answer they got didn't make much sense either...

But Lightning was now lying underneath the coffee table in the livingroom, watching the program the younger girls where watching.

Then they asked, she had simply replied; _"No one will expect it, you will be the distraction while I'll be the secret weapon."_

They had decided not to ask anything efter that.

She had been sitting there for a while now, watching Lightning lying on the ground. And she had slowly started thinking about what she had said, a few months ago, when they first started talking.

About Lightning wanting to become a soldier.

She remembered that Lightning never told her why, and that she had become upset when she had asked.

"I think she's sleeping." Serah whispered at her side. And it seemed like it. Lightning was lying completely still, and soft breathing could be heard. She turned to Serah and smiled.

Serah, Serah was sitting there! She could ask Serah why Lightning wanted to be a soldier!  
><em>Why haven't I thought of that before? <em>she thought and internally face-palmed herself.

"Serah?" the pinkette instantly looked from her sleeping sister, to Vanille.  
>Vanille continued. "Why does Lightning want to become a soldier? She seemed upset when I asked before..." she spoke quietly not to wake the older Farron sister underneath the coffee table.<p>

Serahs lips went thin, Vanille regretted that she had asked, but it was to late now.

The younger Farron sibling sat and studied Vanille quietly for a while before sucking in a breath to speak.

"Dad was a soldier. A General in the Wide-Area Response Brigade." she stated and sighed. Vanille regretted even more that she had asked since Serah was obviously having trouble speaking about it. "She always said that she wanted to be just like dad, ever since she was little. I think she even made a promise."

"A promise?" Vanilles curiosity got the best of her.

"Yes." Serah studied Vanille again, seeing that she girls eyes were filled with remorse, she smiled. "Don't worry, I wouldn't tell you if I felt that it was wrong, okay?"

Vanille froze and stared at her nervously, it was almost like she could read her mind. She nodded.

"I think she made a promise to dad to make him proud. And he had laughed and told her that he already where proud of her." Serah smiled, it was a memory she treasured well. She had been sitting on the floor, watching her sister receive a rubber ball from their father. Lightning had been so happy, their father had been so happy. And their happiness had made Serah happy.

She sighed. "She's been trying to keep that promise ever since." she turned and looked to Vanille, who smiled softly. Glad that her question didn't upset her friend.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Azure blue orbs revealed themselves from behind thick lashes. And found themselves staring straight up at the underside of a mahogany coffee table.

Slowly looking around, she finally understood where she was.

_What am I doing on the floor? And what am I doing underneath the coffee table?_

"Oh, you're awake!"

She shot a glance up at her sister in the couch, Serah was smiling down at her. Lightning frowned, feeling the embarrassment color her cheeks. Even more so when she noticed her redheaded friend also smiling down at her from beside Serah.

"What am I doing underneath the coffee table?" he asked, a bit hesitant. realizing that she had probably made a fool out of herself.

Serah shrugged. "You said something about you being a secret weapon or something, we didn't ask anything more after that." she returned her attention to the television. Vanille did the same, and Lightning was finally able to breathe again.

She cursed at herself for being so weird when high.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<br>_Don't forget to leave me a review with your thoughts!

Constructive criticism is always very much appreciated!

Thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Hiya! **

You guys wanted a fast update, and this is kinda fast for me no?

I just hope I didn't lower the quality in the process... haha..

Well it's late, and I wrote this in one sitting. Hope you'll like it!  
>(Please excuse any major errors, I will go over this thoroughly tomorrow!)<p>

_**Disclaimer!  
><strong>I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, except Dr. Phoenix - she's purely fictional, the rest of them belongs to Square Enix! I am merely borrowing them for teh lulz!_

Hope you'll all enjoy Chapter Eleven of Fatum Amor!

* * *

><p>"Haven't really played video games before." Lightning stated as she examined the controller given to her by her sister. "And I didn't know you were into this sort of stuff Serah." she added and glanced at her sister whom smiled back at her.<p>

"I'm not, really. But Vanille usually plays with Hope, and she thought you might want something to do since you won't be leaving home for a while."

Lightning noticed the small wrinkle in Serah forehead as the younger pinkette took a peek at the game Vanille had chosen.

"This game is really exciting and it's so easy to play, I think you'll get the hang of it pretty soon!" Vanille chirped as she turned to look at the Farron sisters.

Lightning met her eyes with a blank, unreadable expression with the black controller resting in her palms, while Serah examined the controller with a bewildered expression. Vanille shook her heads, causing her curly pigtails to bob with the motion.

"I'll explain it to you Serah..." she said with an amused sigh. Serah sat down and released a heavy breath, relieved that she didn't have to figure this out on her own.

"Okay then." the odd, silver blonde boy Vanille had brought with her when she came back to the apartment stood up and dusted of his hands. "Everything's set up. Shall we begin?" he asked as he grabbed the last controller and sat down at the opposite end of the couch from Lightning.

Vanille looked around. _Hope, me, Serah, Lightning._

"Ehm..." she began, everyone's attention shifted from the television screen to the redhead. "Maybe Hope should sit between you guys so he can explain things that you might be wondering?" she said while gesturing to the small space between the Farron sisters.

"Uhh, sure?" Serah said and looked to Hope. Vanille did the same.

The boy threw a glance at Lightning, her eyes pierced into his and a chill ran up his spine. He started shivering. Desperately shaking his head, he blushed madly and looked to Vanille, his eyes pleading for her to understand that he didn't want to sit next to the intimidating girl.

Lightning raised an eyebrow. This guy was even weirder than Vanille. And that redhead was hard to beat in terms of weirdness. She sighed and looked back to the screen.

Vanille finally caught what Hope was trying to tell her. "Oh."

She got up. "Then I guess I should be sitting between you guys." she said and moved past Serah as she hopped closer to Hope.

Vanille was trying to act cool, but as she sat down next to Lightning, shivers ran up her spine and her heart started beating rapidly. She prayed that she wasn't blushing.

"So, if there's anything you're wondering, just ask me, okay?" she tried to sound normal as she spoke to the older girl, but as soon as Lightnings azure blue eyes met with her own, her heart started pounding hard against her chest and her legs turned into jelly. Had she not been sitting, she would have pummeled to the ground face first.

Lightning smirked at the young girl. "Sure." she replied before once again returning her attention to the screen, since Hope was flipping around the menus.

Vanilles gaze lingered a little longer than she realized on Lightnings features. Realizing that she would be noticed soon, she soaked in the older girls beauty before turning her green eyes to the screen. Fighting the urge to look back upon the Farron seated to her left.

"So what is this game about? It looked kind of violent judging by the cover..." Serah remarked. Hope smiled threw her a glance before answering.

"It is, we're supposed to kill 'The Haunted'. The story will pretty much explain itself in a few moments, as soon as I'm done with these..." His voice died down into a mumble at the end. Serah frowned, why was she going to play anyway? She had never played a game that needed her to be quick and execute commands with precision before.

"There we go." Hope announced and pressed the play buttons. "There will be a little time in the beginning for everyone to get accustomed to the controls before the game actually starts." he smiled at his playmates. The only one smiling back was Vanille, she had played this game before. Serah was looking between the controller and the screen with dread, while Lightning was staring at it blankly.

The loading screen disappeared, and a cut scene began playing, introducing all the characters of the story.

"Okay, so now we get to choose the characters." Hope said as the screen froze and avatars of the characters you could select appeared. "I'll let you girls choose first." he said and sat back.

Vanille quickly grabbed the small, cute janitor girl, and then helped Serah choose the proper office woman.

They all looked to Lightning, who sighed before picking the other janitor character.

Hope smiled and picked the security officer, it was his favourite anyway.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Aww!" Vanille exclaimed as her character fell to the floor for the 100th time.

Beside her, Serah snickered. "Well at least you lasted more than five minutes." she sighed and pulled her legs up, hugging her knees.

"Aw, they got me too!" Hope exclaimed. But the game didn't end like expected. The **GAME OVER **text never appeared.

Surprised, they all looked at the last of the four panels that was still active. The male janitor was slashing and shooting his was through haunted humans like he had been pre-programmed to own the butt off of those elites.

The three of them turned their heads towards Lightning, her fingers was flying across the controller with astounding precision. Her eyes were focused.

That focus, it had been so long ago since she saw it. It was the same focused gaze she had when she exercised. Vanille couldn't help but smile when she saw it.

"Done." Lightning stated and put the controller on the coffee table as she got up.

The trio looked back at the screen and was greeted with;

**FIGHT THROUGH THE NEXT CHAPTER? YES/NO**

Hope leaned towards Vanille. "Are you sure she hasn't been playing before?" he whispered as Lightning leaved for the kitchen.

Serah and Vanille snickered. "I don't know." Vanille shrugged.  
>"I'm pretty sure she's new to video games, but my sister has always been a quick thinker and quick to catch on." Serah sighed. "i didn't even learn how to aim properly..." she hung her head in defeat.<p>

Vanille giggled. "It's okay Serah, I had to practice a lot before I got it too." she put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I'm retiring to my room, meds."

The trio jumped, they hadn't noticed Lighting re-entering the room.

"Light! This is just like that movie night! You've got to stop scaring us like that!" Serah scolded playfully and took deep breaths to calm her hammering heart.

Lightning chuckled. "Whatever." she said before turning away and walking towards her room. "I'll be in here if you want anything."

"The orange ones?" Serah called out after her, seeing Lightning nod before entering her room, she sat back.

"The orange ones what?" Hope asked, confused.

"Light takes some pretty strong medicines, the orange ones for example make her high." Serah explained.

"Oh." Hope nodded.

"Maybe we shouldn't play games while she's on her meds?" Vanille said after a few moments of silence. "I mean, her hallucinations are pretty bad, and just thinking about that time the TV was on and she was blubbering about aliens?" Vanille turned to Serah who smiled, but nodded.

"Better not."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

She was pretty sure that her lamp was swaying back and forth.

Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Or was it really the lamp? Wasn't the room going back and forth?

Yes, she could feel it now, her whole room was rocking like a cradle.

Back and forth, back and forth.

She clenched her teeth, she could feel her stomach turn with every pendulum movement.

She threw herself off of the bed, landing on her knees on her carpet.

But her room kept rocking, she couldn't stand up straight, the movement only threw her back onto the floor with a thud.

"Damnit!" she exclaimed through shut teeth.

She tried again, she had to get to the bathroom, her stomach was thrashing and she was close to making a mess.

Ending up getting floored again, she decided on crawling.

The rocking didn't stop once she reached the door, on the contrary, it just got worse.

This time, she held on to the handle of her bedroom door, managing to stand up.

She stumbled through the hallway towards the bathroom, but it wasn't that easy, the room was spinning by now and she was unable to see anything.

"Fuuuuuck..." she wheezed and held her head in her hands, trying to make her surroundings stop spinning.

Her stomach twisted again and this time she could taste blood at the same time as pain shot through her chest.

She groaned and held her chest with her right arm as she stumbled forward towards what she guessed was the bathroom, with her left arm outstretched, desperately reaching for anything to hold on to.

A soft hand grabbed hold of her outstretched hand, she grabbed the thin digits firmly. She could feel another pair of hands hold onto her sides, it hurt, but she felt comfort in something safe.

Some was helping her. But her head was still spinning.

Her stomach cramped again, and she threw herself forward, feeling several hands pulling in her clothes, she tried her best to walk wherever they where taking her. Figuring that they were probably helping her to somewhere were it wouldn't matter if she made a mess.

Two thin hands grabbed both of her wrists, and her palms hit something cold. The pair of hands on her back was now pushing her down until she was on her knees.

Everything was spinning even faster than before, and a loud, constant screech echoed thought her ears.

Her midsection cramped, her stomach twisted and the taste of blood came back.

Someone was saying something somewhere, also, this someone was removing the hair from her face.

Her body tensed up and her stomach knotted before the taste of blood overthrew her senses as a red substance pushed itself up thought her throat.

She soon realized that fighting it and trying to swallow whatever was making its way up her throat was futile, so she let go of control and let her body regurgitate whatever needed to get out.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Oh my God!" Vanille heard Serah exclaim from the bathroom. "Vanille, call the doctor!"

She didn't need to be told twice, the moment the word Doctor left Serahs lips, Vanille had already grabbed the phone.

She had seen the state Lightning was in when she stumbled thought the hall, she had been pale and disoriented, holding on tight to her chest. Vanille had helped Serah get her to the bathroom, but then left, she couldn't stand watching or even hearing someone puke.

Serahs cry had been desperate, she had pushed speed call and was now waiting for the doctor to pick up the phone. She urged herself to enter the bathroom, mentally preparing herself for something disgusting. But what greeted her when she opened her eyes and looked at the older girl who was kneeling in front of the toilet was nothing she could ever have even dreamt of seeing.

Blood. There were so much blood.  
>And it was everywhere.<p>

It covered the inside of the toilet, it was slowly running down the outside of the toilet too, and droplets had spilled on the floor.

'_Dr. Phoenix here, is it Serah?'_

Vanille couldn't bring herself to speak, her whole body was shaking and she couldn't stop staring as Lightning threw up another mouth full of blood. Spare dripplets fell from her chin into the massacre underneath.

_'Hello?'_

"Vanille!"

She twitched and quickly looked at Serah. She was wearing a very serious face.

"The phone Vanille." she said slowly. Vanille looked at the phone.

"Oh! Hello! It's Vanille Dia and I'm calling from the Farron residence!"

_'Hello there Vanille, is something of the matter?'_

"Yes! Lightning is throwing up blood!" she was at the brink of tears, and she could see that Serah was too. She guessed that it could be heard on her voice, because when the doctor spoke, she spoke slowly in an attempt at soothing her.

_'Okay, miss Dia, I need you to estimate how much it is. Could you do that for me?'_

Vanille swallowed, covered her mouth and leaned in to see more properly. "About four mouths of blood." she said without removing her hand. "Erh, make that five." she added as Lightning coughed up another mouthful.

Vanille quickly turned away to prevent herself from feeling more sick.

_'Okay, thank you. So she is still going then?' _Dr. Phoenix asked, she sounded preoccupied, Vanille guessed that she was typing in the data in Lightnings files.

"Yes." Vanille said. "Six now.." she added when Lightning coughed again. "But it seems like it's subsiding now."

Lightning panted heavily and groaned.

"F-fuuuuck..."

"Hush now." Serah whispered, she was still at the brink of tears, but she kept biting her lower lip to stop herself from crying. "It's going to be okay Light." she said and sent Vanille a glance.

"She seem to have stopped now." Vanille noted through the phone to Dr. Phoenix.

_'Okay, then there should be no problem. Make sure she drinks a lot and give her some of the zink pills I sent with you. They also contain iron for her blood.' _Vanille nodded, but then froze.

"Wait, you planned for this?" her eyes burnt with anger, and this was not going unnoticed by the younger Farron sister.

_'Well, you see Vanille, I knew that there was a possibility that this was going to happen, but not all of our patients that have Fatum Morbus suffer from this symptoms. Please do not get upset Vanille. The risk of miss Claire getting is was very small.'_

Vanille relaxed, getting angry because she didn't warn them was to no use now anyway, Dr. Phoenix had probably realized that she should have without Vanille informing her.

She sighed. "But she'll be okay now?" she asked, still shaky.

_'Yes, if you give her the zink and iron pills with lots of water like I said. She will probably cough blood for some hours to come but it shouldn't be excessive, she'll be out of energy and will most probably fall asleep, but that is fine. Just hook her up to the heart monitor.' _The doctor paused for a moment. _'How is she doing?'_

Feeling relief, Vanille looked up from her feet to Lightning. She was sitting now with her head hanging backwards, still holding on to the toilet and swaying a little, but at least she wasn't throwing up blood like a demon spawn anymore.

"Lightning." she called softly, tilting the phone away from her mouth. The pinkette slowly tilted her head to the side so she could look at the younger girl, slowly rising an eyebrow. Vanille smiled at her, earning an uncharacteristic, tired and groggy smile back. She giggled softly, guessing that Lightning was still a bit drugged from her medicine.

"She's reacting when I'm speaking to her at least." she said to Dr. Phoenix. She didn't break eye contact with Lightning. The older girl straightened up her neck and calmly looked back into Vanilles eyes, wincing a bit as she corrected her posture.

_'That's good, she will probably be fine by morning. Give her some painkillers so that she'll be able to sleep. And some more when she wakes up if she's complaining by then. She should also take the zink and iron pills tomorrow. Make sure she stays hydrated and that she's getting the nutrition she needs.'_

"Will do." Vanille replied, still watching Light. Affection rose within her and made her heart swell.

_'Very good Vanille. Take good care of her now! Bye!'_

"I will. Bye."

Vanille ended the call and put the phone on the shelf above the laundry basket.

"What did Dr. Phoenix say?" Serah asked eagerly.

"She said that this is not very common, and that we should give her lots of water and the pills with zink and iron that we got from the hospital, and some painkillers. She also said that she may be coughing blood for a few hours"

Serah nodded at Vanilles explanation. "So she'll be fine?" Vanille nodded, and a weight dropped from Serahs chest. She sighed in relief.

"Good, let's hope she doesn't throw another one of these fits..." she sighed heavily, glancing at the blood that had missed the toilet bowl, and then at her sister who was still holding on tight to the toilet.

"Light won't do any good in here, could you wash her up, give her the pills and put her to bed?" Serah looked up at Vanille, noticing the blush that slowly spread across the redheads cheekbones. "I'll clean this mess up. I know how squeamish you are with blood." she nudged the redhead with her elbow.

"Hey! I could totally clean this up!" Vanille said and started looking around at the mess.

"Without throwing up yourself..." Serah added.

"That I could not!" Vanille stated and walked over to Lightning. "I'll take care of your sister then."

Serah chuckled.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Her heart was racing. Here she was, walking through the home of her best friend, and her crush. Holding hands with the latter.

The moment Lightnings strong digits interlaced with her own, her heart started pounding and refused to stop, she was sure that Serah could hear her, several meters away and through a wall.

She knew that the older girl only did so because she was still light-headed and disoriented, but it still made her heart and belly flutter like no tomorrow.

"C'mon, let's go to bed." she said and led Lightning towards her room.

It didn't really help that the older girl was smiling so sweetly at her either. She had to fight herself from over thinking the situation.

_Lightning... Clair, is just holding my hand and smiling because she's high and have no idea what she's doing._

She chanted in her mind.

"Here we are." the redhead announced as she stepped up to Lightnings bed. She turned and looked at the older girl, she looked incredibly tired. "Today has been rough, huh?"

Lightning only nodded.

Vanille didn't know what to do, Lightning was just standing there. She rubbed her arm awkwardly and looked around.

"Well, I'll leave you to it then, don't forget to connect the heart moni-!?"

She was unable to finish her sentence.

The hand that held hers had suddenly tensed up and jerked her around so that she had ended up chest to chest with the other girl.

The older Farron quickly wrapped her arms around Vanilles delicate form.

Her heart was thundering, her cheeks burning and her mind racing.

What just happened?

And why?

Was Clair hugging her?!

She felt incredibly nervous, but slowly, as Lightning wasn't letting go of her, a warm sensation spread within her. A smile made its way onto her lips and she couldn't stop it even if she wanted.

She could feel Lightnings breaths in the small of her neck, it made her shiver.

Very slowly, her arms moved on their own accord.

Wrapping themselves around Lightnings back.

She held the older girl close, and as she did so, she felt a content sigh tickle her neck.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

Exciting, nee?  
>Please leave me a review with your thoughts and opinions!<p>

As always, constructive criticism is always very much appreciated!

_Thank you for reading!_


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Hiya!**

I'm trying to write and publish chapters more often, but I have no time preception, so I have no idea if I'm actually quicker than usual! =D Yay for being clueless!

I just want to take this moment and thank everyone that has been reviewing, reading your kind words make me happy and it is what keeps me going. Without your criticism and your praise, I would have lost interest in this a long time ago =)

So please keep telling me what you think! I appreciate it a whole lot!

_**Disclaimer:**_

_I do not own any of the Final Fantasy XIII characters mentioned in this fic, they are all the property of Square Enix. I am merely borrowing them for teh lulz!_

Hope you'll enjoy Chapter Twelve of Fatum Amor!

* * *

><p>She stayed until Lightning fell asleep. Which didn't take long, since Lightning practically fell asleep in her arms.<p>

Vanille only had to lead her the few steps to the bed and wait until she got settled underneath the covers.

Lightning sluggishly reached for the monitors cords. The strap she was supposed to put on her wrist was rather tight, and as tired as the girl was, she only managed to entangle her pyjama arm to the cords, mumbling curses at the thing with a deep scowl on her forehead.

Vanille giggled, and then reached in to help her.

"There you go." she said and smiled down att Lightning who only nodded, already with her eyes closed. She mumbled a tired "Thanks." before settling for sleep. "-preciate it." she heard her mumble into her covers as she drowsily turned to lay on her side.

She smiled. "Don't mention it." she whispered while studying the older girls facial expression. She looked really calm and relaxed.

Her smile grew as she turned around to leave.

Butterflies still tickling her senses.

~•~•~•~•~•~

A muffled thud ripped her out of her sleep.

Quickly sitting up, she listened intently for whatever was going on outside the bedroom door. Throwing a glance at Serah, she could see that the other teen was in deep sleep, undisturbed by the sounds. It was good though, Serah had been unable to sleep soundly a few nights in a row now.

She could hear that someone was moving around outside, groaning.

She got up, realizing that it was probably the older of the residents that was up and running. A quick glance at the clock told her that she had been asleep for just about two hours, the clock read 01:13.

Quietly, so that she wouldn't startle the older girl, she sneaked towards the kitchen area were she could hear footsteps sliding across the floor.

A bang followed by a whispered "Ow!" told her that Lightning was probably still a bit disoriented from what had happened just a few hours ago. The girl sounded a bit upset though. Vanille furrowed her brows.

"Light?" she whispered. The movement in the kitchen stopped and a heavy atmosphere settled over the small apartment.

A flash went through her mind and Vanille grew extremely nervous when she remembered that Lightning had been taking those advanced self-defense classes, and not only that, the girl also aiming towards being a soldier.

"It's just me, Vanille!" she added quickly before Lightning went full ninja on her in the dark.

"Oh." Lightnings voice appeared just a few feet away, hadn't she been at the other end of the kitchen just a few seconds ago? Vanille had not heard her moving at all!

She released a nervous breath. "What are you doing out of bed at this hour Light?" she asked as soon as she had calmed herself.

Her newly awakened eyes was finally settling in the dim light that shone through the window. It was a full moon, and the apartment was lighted surprisingly well.

Lightning groaned as a response to her question. Vanille looked up at the older teen and saw her troubled expression.

"What's the matter?" she asked softly when Lightning didn't say anything else.

The older teen shook her head and frowned deeply. Cursing the painkillers that made her unable to contain her emotions like she always did.

"It hurts..." she mumbled, desperately trying to act normal. "I can't sleep because it hurts..."

Vanille smiled at her compassionately. "Where does it hurt?" she asked.

Lightning turned her head away, as if she was hiding her face from the younger girl. She then put a hand on her chest, right at the spot above her heart.

Vanilles compassionate smile fell, was her heart hurting?

Was this the start of another seizure?

Vanilles hands started trembling.

Lightning looked back at the younger girl since she didn't utter a single word, and saw that her whole body was trembling. She clenched her teeth and cursed at herself yet again for expressing herself so clumsily.

"Vanille, calm down." she said quietly and put her hands on the redheaded teens shoulders, Vanille looked up and met her calm gaze. "It's the bruise..." Lightning added and let go as soon as she saw that Vanille was calm.

"Oh..." Vanille stated, but still wrapped her arms around herself for comfort.

Lightning simply nodded and slowly rubbed the area that the bruise covered, trying to soothe the pulsating pain that cut her breaths short.

"But your painkillers are supposed to have effect still?" Vanille looked from her feet back up at Lightning, who only shrugged.

"I think they are still having a bit off effect, but I can still feel the pain..." she mumbled.

Vanille frowned. "Okay... I don't know what to do.." she said and hung her head.

They stood there in silence.

Lightning glanced at the redhead in front of her. The moonlight shone through the window and gave her the perfect amount of light to study the younger girl.

She was wearing a thin, white, spaghetti-strapped top that hugged her curves closely and a pair of hot-pink pyjama pants.

Lightning slowly traced the outline of Vanilles hip with her eyes.

_What are you doing?_

She shook her head and turned her burning face away.

_You're supposed to fight urges like that. You're supposed to let this girl go. _

She scolded.

_It's hard though... _she thought and glanced at the redhead through the corner of her eye.

_Tch..._

"I'm going back to bed, to try and catch some sleep before morning." she muttered.

Vanille nodded. "Good idea, I'm also going back to bed." she was still closely studying her feet. Lightning internally wished for the girl to look up and smile at her again, but Vanille couldn't hear her silent players and just kept her head hanging low.

Silence.

"Well.." Lightning began, scratching her arm awkwardly. "I'll be going now." she said and passed the redhead.

As she walked down the hallway, Vanille dared to look after her. She hadn't dared to look up, she didn't want Lightning to see her tears. _She doesn't want us to worry... she'll just get upset if she sees me sad.._

She slowly made her way back to Serahs room.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Coming back into the bedroom, she threw a glance at Serah. She layed still, undisturbed.

To see her sleep this soundlessly was a relief. She knew that Serah had locked herself in the bathroom and cried her heart out. She didn't make a sound, but Vanille had noticed her red eyes when she came out of there.

It wasn't a surprise that she cried. Vanille had been at the brink of tears several times during the happening.

And she would have cried too if her stomach hadn't been fluttering like crazy.

A smile crept across her lips at the same time as her cheeks heated up, her worry for the older girl completely forgotten. She reached up and cupped her cheeks with her hands.

_I guess Light really do like me, at least as a friend. _

She thought. A surge of affection washed though her body, her smile grew. _Lightning likes me. _

She hugged herself tight, she felt like laughing and dancing, or running.

But then it stopped.

_Lightning looked a bit upset when she left for her room though... _she thought. _Maybe I should go talk to her?_

Vanille hesitated for a bit. Uncertain of what to do. If Lightning really wanted to talk, wouldn't she go to Serah? ...on the other hand, she had kept this sickness a secret and had she not collapsed in front of them all... she didn't want to think about what would have happened.

Somehow she found herself right outside the older girls door. She took a deep breath and released it before raising her hand and carefully knocking on the door. She was gentle, because if the other girl had gone to sleep already, she didn't want to wake her up.

She heard muffled shuffling from the other side, meaning that Light had probably not fallen asleep yet.

The door slowly opened, and there stood Lightning.

And that's when her heart stopped, remembering that she hadn't thought of anything to say.

Lightning stared back at the girl who had come knocking at her bedroom door. The redhead was staring back at her with a bewildered expression, almost as if she was expecting someone else to answer the door.

"What?" she asked tiredly, since Vanille didn't say anything.

"Eep!" Vanille twitched and struggled to think of something to say. "Well, err.. y-you seemed upset, so I was thinking that maybe you needed to talk or something?" she finished and smiled largely up at the older girl, still nervous and praying that Lightning wasn't waving her off like a creep or something.

Lightnings eyes widened slightly. Touched by the fact that Vanille cared enough to notice that she wasn't very well and wanted to help.

"Erh, well..." she stammered, Vanilles nervous smile was gone and instead, she was carefully smiling up at her sweetly and rendered Lightning unable to speak. "Well I..." she struggled.

She sighed at herself and shook her head. "I was actually thinking about watching some TV to get my mind off of the pain, I might be able to fall asleep in the couch." she said while avoiding eye contact so that Vanilles cute appearance wouldn't interrupt her speaking ability.

"Oh." Vanille smiled. She bit her lip, fighting the urge to say that she wanted to join the older girl. Honestly, she loved sitting on the couch watching TV and snuggle until she drifted off and finally fell asleep.

Lightning saw her biting her lip. She smirked. "You're welcome to join me of you wish." she said as she passed the younger girl and walked towards the livingroom. Vanille beamed at this and almost skipped after Lightning.

Vanille sat down in the Farron sisters couch, picking her feet up from the floor and sliding down in her seat, now half lying down in the couch, she hugged herself and let out a content sigh. Lightning threw her a glance while she was fussing as she moved about the room looking for the remote. As soon as she found it, she made herself comfortable on the other end.

Making sure that the volume as at its lowest, she turned the TV on and started looking for something interesting. A martial arts show was airing on the sports science channel, grabbing her attention.

"Do you mind if we watch this?" Lightning asked her companion on the other end without tearing her eyes from the screen.

Vanille shook her head. "No, this is fine." she replied.

They sat there silently for a while, the only sounds that could be heard were occasional shuffling as they changed sitting position and the commentary of the show.

Vanille was not that interested and soon grew restless. But the show reminded her that she had wanted to ask Lightning about her self-defense classes.

She checked first to see if Lightning was awake before speaking. "Hey, Light." she called out cautiously.

"M-hm?" the girl replied, not really listening.

Vanille wasn't discouraged by this, she knew Lightning had a knack for acting uninterested. "I wanted to ask you about your self-defense classes, if that is alright?"

"Really? Why?" Lightning asked, and for the first time she took her eyes off of the screen for a few seconds, studying Vanilles expression. Her eyes turned back to the TV soon after that though.

Vanille pondered for a moment, she didn't really know why herself. "Just curious." was the answer she settled with after a few seconds.

Lightning smirked. "Okay. Well what do you want to know then?"

But Vanille couldn't hear her since she was mumbling and seated at the other end of the couch. "What's that?" she asked.

Lightning repeated what she had said, but her words were lost to Vanilles ears this time too.

"I'm sorry, come again?" Vanille smiled nervously.

Lightning sighed. "What are you doing way over there if you're gonna ask me questions? I don't have the energy to yell to you." she shook her head at the silly girl.

Vanille only blinked before carefully moving in to sit next to Lightning. She fussed, trying to get comfortable, but to be completely honest; _Geez, I liked my corner more, there's nothing to lean on here... _she mulled while still fussing about.

Lightning sighed again as the redhead kept struggling to find a comfortable seat even after a few minutes, they where both growing frustrated, but for different reasons. And in the end, Lightning had enough.

She reached out and grabbed Vanilles shoulder, pulling it against herself. Vanille ended up leaning on Lightning with her feet in the couch.

"Better?" Lightning asked as she adapted to the extra weight on her shoulder.

Vanille dared not speak, she only nodded rapidly. "I'm just a bit cold..." she murmured, to which Lightning instantly bent forwards, pulling out a blanket from underneath a lid in the footstool. She handed it to Vanille who flashed her an appreciative smile before wrapping herself in it and leaning back against Lightning, relaxing.

"Okay then. So what did you want to know about my fighting?" the older girl asked casually.

On the inside however, she was shaking like a leaf in strong wind. Fighting for it not to show and to control the tone on her voice.

Vanille was struggling just as much, it was a good thing that her face was half-turned away from Light, because she would probably me blinded by her burning cheeks. She was so nervous that her hands were shaking.

Clearing her throat, she spoke. "I was wondering what kind of fighting you're practicing." the nervousness made her voce shake slightly, she prayed for this to go unnoticed.

Which it did, because having the redheaded girls voice right next to her ear gave Lightning goosebumps. Bothered by this, she was to preoccupied with her own reactions to notice Vanilles nervousness.

"I don't know how well you know martial arts..." she began and returned her gaze to the television screen to distract herself from her physical reactions to the younger girls presence. "But what I am doing is called Commando, and it's a fighting style that the special forces of Eden developed. It's basically military fighting." just speaking about it made her excited, she missed fighting. The fighting semester had probably started already. She hadn't trained her fighting since a few weeks before she got sick, since the winter/spring semester had ended.

"I am not familiar at all with fighting, I'm sorry." Vanille admitted, smiling carefully.

"I didn't expect that." Lightning nodded. "Oh?" she sat up a little, being careful not to hurt Vanille in the process.

"If your curious, watch now, they're doing an interview with Cid Raines, the man who developed most of the fighting style." she whispered excitedly. Vanille recognized the name, and when she looked up, she instantly recognized his face. But she couldn't place him within her mind.

He proudly stood with his arms crossed and explained the basics while his student showed the kicks, flips and punches that Commando fighting style was all about.

And that's when she remembered.

The _book_.

The book she had bought Lightning when she was still at the hospital; _'Back to Training; with Cid's Tips'_.

She smiled at herself for being able to pick the perfect book just by luck.

She realised that she had spaced out and focused. The screen was now showing a sparring match, were both fighters dashed forward at the same time, it looked like they were going to smash right into each other nose first. But inches from colliding, the both of them made a swiping motion with their arm, only one of them quickly dodged by ducking slightly to the left, with that the others fist passed by the top of his head. He then shifted his foot and pushed himself up, using the momentum to shove his right elbow into the stomach of his opponent, momentarily paralyzing him. He then twisted his upper body around and whacked his left elbow into the face of his opponent. The fight ended with the other guy falling helplessly to the floor.

Vanille was flabbergasted. Did Lightning really do stuff like that to guys twice her size?

"Sweet."

The turned around and looked at the pinkette next to her. She was wearing a confident yet impressed expression. Vanille smiled.

"You can do that too?" she asked out of curiosity.

Lightning shook her head, then thought for a minute before shrugging. "Kinda, I can do what he just did, but they're both above me in terms of speed, rank and skill. I'll get there one day though. I'll start training again as soon as I'm healthy." she nodded to herself. "This was a huge setback though, I'll have to work extra hard when I'm back on my feet."

She was feeling excited, a feeling she had missed these past weeks since she got ill.

Since the girl she was speaking with remained silent, she turned around to look at her. The redheads angelic smile greeted her and she had to turn away quickly since it interrupted her breathing and sent her heart racing.

Vanilles smile grew even bigger, Lightning had looked at her for only a split second before turning red and turning away. "I'm glad that you have something that you like so much." she said, seeing Lightning so excited made her happy.

Lightning smirked and leaned back. "You're still cool with watching this, right?" she asked as she made herself comfortable.

Vanille nodded. "It's actually a little exciting. I don't understand much of it, but y'know. It's cool stuff." she replied and settled next to Lightning.

She nervously eyed Lightning out of the corner of her eye. Then very slowly, she carefully sneaked a petite arm around Lightnings strong arm as she leaned her head against the older girls shoulder, wrapping the blanket comfortably around herself with her free hand.

Both of them blushed madly, but after a few seconds of awkwardness, they both managed to relax.

_Lightning smells good... _a sweet mix of raspberries and rose petals.

Vanille relished the moment, figuring that this wasn't something that would happen that often.

She felt herself slowly drifting off to sleep. The last thing she felt was Lightnings cheek against her forehead before her mind went blank.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Serah fussed in her bed. Stretching, her spine snapped back into place and a content purr escaped her lips. She hadn't slept this well since a few weeks back.

Since before she started suspecting Lightning was sick.

She smiled and looked at the clock, it read 08:43. Feeling good about not over-sleeping, she sat up in the bed.

her brows furrowed. The mattress where she was expecting to see Vanille sleeping was empty. Shrugging it off, figuring that she was in the kitchen already, she got out of bed and went to the bathroom.

Coming back out and walking towards the kitchen, she passed the livingroom, and found her missing friend.

Lightning lay leaning on the backboard of the couch, and beside her laid Vanille with her arms lazily wrapped around the older girls midsection.

Serah couldn't do more than smile at the sight.

Thinking that she shouldn't wake them, she carefully sneaked bout her business and then retreated to her room for the rest of the morning.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Vanille stirred. But refused to open her eyes since she was still feeling sleepy.

She stretched her arm out and then let it fall back on Lightning.

_Wait... what?!_

She opened her eyes, and there was Lightnings shoulder. The older girls face was half tuned away, the eye she could see was closed and her thick lashes draped over her pale cheek.

_I could get used to this._ She thought and smiled at herself.

Savoring the moment for a while, she enjoyed the little time she dared stay.

Carefully removing her limbs from the older girl, she made sure she was tucked in securely in the blanket before tip toeing out of the room.

She couldn't stop herself from smiling.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<br>_Don't forget to leave me a review!  
>As always, constructive criticism is always very much appreciated!<p>

Thank you for reading!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Hiya! Missed me?**

I've been kinda silent for a while, huh? Haha...

Well, a lot have happened since last time. And a lot have delayed this chapter.  
>First, I had a tough writer's block. But I managed to push through it and produce a chapter. Then I go about deleting the chapter and was unable to retrieve it and went angsty for a while.<p>

Beside that, I've started exercising. Muai Thai / Kickboxing, which takes up some time.  
>And I'm also applying for the Swedish college "Konstfack". University College of Arts, Crafts and Design. So I've been busy with making stuff.<p>

Now I'm back though, and writing has been a lot easier lately! So I won't leave you all hanging like this again, haha.  
>However, I still have some work to do on my Collage apply, also, I'm moving to my very first own apartment with my fiancé, but I hope to be able to publish more chapters soon.<p>

I'm really sorry for the delay!

_On a side note:_

I'm going to France for my cousins wedding this summer, me and most of my family. Almost 10 days!  
>We're gonna hang around Léon (I think it's spelled like that, I know how it sounds but y'know, as an outsider, French spelling is just one of the craziest things...) and I'd like to know what I <em>absolutely can't miss<em> while I'm in France!

I know I have at least one reader from France =)

_End of side note._

__**Thank you all for being so patient!**

_**Disclaimer!**_

_I do not own any of the characters from Final Fantasy XIII mentioned in this fic. Dr. Phoenix is purely fictional and made up in my mind. The other characters are only borrowed for teh lulz!_

Please enjoy Chapter Thirteen of Fatum Amor!

* * *

><p>Correcting her collar, she studied herself in the mirror. She was wearing a thick hoodie, with a long sleeved sweatshirt underneath along with her favorite scarf. She threw a glance at her hair, sighing before she decided that she didn't have the energy to properly style it. Her signature spikes was at the moment laying flat against her face in their natural curvy condition that she so desperately hid from everyone. She frowned at her reflection and reached for a hat.<p>

Pulling down the hat over her ears, she spun around to face the hallway. "Serah, are you coming?" she called out, checking her pockets simultaneously for everything she needed today.

It took a few moments, but Serah finally came jogging towards her. She looked nervous. However, Lightning dismissed the fact.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked with her hands resting on her hips.

Serah started fiddling with her hands nervously. "Listen Light-"

_Uh-oh_. Nothing good ever starts with 'listen Light', and she knew it.

"-I've called someone who will be here very soon to pick you up and go with you, and then drop you off here at home when you're done, okay?" Serah looked up at her sister, _praying _that Lightning would not snap.

Lightning raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her sibling. Which only increased Serah's nervous fiddling.

Lightning stood with her arms crossed, looking unimpressed.

"Why?" she asked bluntly.

"I don't have time to come with you, I was thinking that I should take the time to clean the apartment while you're out so you won't be bothered with it..." she mumbled. She knew that Lightning was not going to let her clean everything by herself if she was at home, and judging from the look on the older girls face, she was just about to protest.

"You shouldn't-" "Light! Please." she cut her off.

Lightning huffed, but fell silent.

"Look, you'll only wear yourself out if you're helping me, so that's why I'm doing it while you're gone so that you won't feel guilty because you're not helping. Okay?" she smiled at her sister.

Lightning scowled. Serah could not help but smile at the small pout present on her sisters lips.

After a short internal battle, Lightning gave in. "Okay then.. So who will be keeping me company?"

Serah smiled nervously, Lightning did not like it. Something was up.

And as if on que, the door swished open. "Oh, hi Light!"

Lightning eyes narrowed at her sister. "You're letting the doofus take me?"

Serah's eyes fell to her feet. "Well... yes..." she admitted.

"I'm still here and I can hear you..." Lightning heard Snow mumble from behind her.

Lightning shook her head and sighed at the situation, Serah looked up and smiled at her older sister nervously. "He's the only one I know that can drive you, now you don't have to be bothered by passengers on a train or walk all the way..." she tried, hoping that Lightning would forgive her.

The older Farron sighed again and turned around, facing Snow. "You have a car?" she asked, raising her eyebrow at the boy. They were both old enough to drive, but she did not think the brute would be serious enough to actually get a license.

Snow briskly shook his head, making his blonde hair whip from side to side. "Nah, it's really a moped on four wheels, I deliver fast food with it." he admitted. Lightning stared at him for a few seconds, then turned back to Serah.

"He's working for LeBreau's pop." she explained as she recognized Lightning's quizzical eyebrow. Lightning's way of saying 'explain, please'. ...well, it was more of a demand than a question, but Serah liked to think that Lightning asked her politely.

"I thought he owned a bar?"

"It's really a bar and fast food diner. He makes pizza, taco's, hamburgers and fried chicken." Snow informed. Earning him a bored glance from Lightning. "Oh... you don't really care, hah.." he added quickly and tried to laugh it off.

Serah smiled compassionately at him, seeing that he was really struggling not to aggravate her older sibling.

"No, not really. Well, shall we get going?" Lightning said as she walked past the blonde in the doorway and started descending the stairs.

Snow sent Serah a last half-panicky, half-confused glance before turning around and hurrying after the older pinkette.

Serah smiled to herself as she touched the panel on the right side of the door frame, closing the door instantly.

~( •~• )~~( •~• )~~( •~• )~

The car smelled like pizza, burnt fat and burgers.

And it was slowly making her feel nauseous.

"I'm sorry about the smell... it's in the fabric..." this was his fifth apology.

"It's okay." she sighed heavily. "It's not like you can do something about it now."

He flashed her an apologetic smile before turning his gaze back to the road ahead of them.

The car grew silent.

Except for Snow's obnoxious tapping on the steering wheel.

She glanced at him. His eyes were darting around everywhere, and she could literally touch the nervous aura that surrounded him.

Why was he so nervous anyway?

Lightning had never done anything to him, so he had no real reason to be nervous, right?

She crossed her arms across her chest and looked out the window.

Thinking about it, she realized that she probably were a _little_ bit harsh towards him in most situations. He probably thinks she hates him, that has to be the reason behind his nervousness.

She glanced at him again. He seemed to grow even more nervous. His tapping had stopped, but instead he was grasping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles was turning white. Looking closely on his forehead, one could see that he was even breaking a little sweat.

Lightning found herself feeling something for the guy that she had never felt before. And that was guilt, mixed with pity.

He made Serah happy, so who was she to make him uneasy?

She cleared her throat. "How long have you and Serah been dating?"

Snow's head snapped around and he stared at her, he looked in disbelief a few times between her and the road before answering. "Err, eight months?" he said, not even trying to hide his surprise and confusion. "Why?"

Lightning shrugged. "Just curious."

The car fell silent again.

Lightning because she was mulling and Snow because he was nervous and confused.  
>Lightning sighed softly. Maybe she should ease up on the guy? After all, eight months is a very long time. And Serah had never told her anything but good about Snow.<p>

She peeked at the blonde through the corner of her eye.  
>Even if his intelligence may be questionable, he had never done anything rude to her either.<p>

Lightning lowered her gaze and closed her eyes, making an internal decision.

"You know..." she began and looked up, the blonde jumped as soon as she spoke, earning him a raised eyebrow from the pinkette.

"You know, I have never hated you." she finished. Snow stared at her at first with a bemused expression on his face, but after a few seconds, a huge grin broke loose. "Really?"

Lightning shook her head at his enthusiasm. "I don't really like you either." she added.

Snow's childish grin turned into a confident smile. "It's a start through."

"Yes, but you're still dead if you hurt my sister." Lightning sent him a dangerous gaze.

"Not planning to." he added with a huge, confident grin, despite the sharp eyes of the fellow teen.

Lightning could not help but smile at his comment. _Serah, you do know what you're doing going out with this goof after all._

~( •~• )~~( •~• )~~( •~• )~

"Ah, Claire, please step in!" Dr. Phoenix got up from her office chair and extended her hand to Lightning. Nodding a silent 'thank you' to the nurse that had brought Lightning with her. The nurse smiled and nodded in response before hurrying off to other duties.

Lightning took Dr. Phoenix's hand shook it.

"How are you today Claire?" Dr. Phoneix asked as she made her way around the desk to her chair. "Mentally and physically if you don't mind." she added and grabbed a pen from her desk drawer.

Lightning thought for a while before answering.

"Mentally, I'm doing fine. _Physically_..." she made a bit of a pause and moved around in her chair a bit. "I'm a bit sore now and then, but okay." she concluded.

Dr. Phoenix quickly jolted down the details in her notepad. "Okay! That's good." she said as she finished writing.

"As you know, this is just a standard routine, a checkup. The first of many actually." she said with her hands clasped together on top of her notes. "I hope that you have understood so much of the information we have given you."

Lightning nodded silently.

"Good." Dr. Phoenix smiled. "The checkups will be rather short, I think the longest sessions will end around fifteen minutes, but we have time so if you need to ask something or speak about things then I'll be listening. Okay?"

Lightning nodded again.

"Good. Now, I will be taking notes of our sessions that will end up in your files. It is standard procedure, so it is nothing you can object too. Are you fine with it anyway?" she asked a bit of concern, she had patients that did not like it when she wrote down what they said and some of them became very upset and angry.

Lightning however, only shrugged at the matter. "It's fine, it'll be locked away from public anyway I guess."

Dr. Phoenix smiled. "Of course dear. Now, let's begin with the actual session, shall we?" she jolted down time and date in her notepad before looking up again and taking off her glasses. "I will be doing some physical checkups on you now, so please remove your jacket and any thick clothing that you are wearing."

Lightning hesitated for a bit, knowing that she would grow cold, but complied. Dr. Phoenix put her stethoscope to her ears and motioned for Lightning to sit on the gurney. "I will be lifting up your shirt while I'm listening to your heart." she informed while she put on plastic gloves.

Lightning nodded, she was used to people taking her pulse and listening to her heart from the time she spent at this hospital. But back then, she did not really have a choice to object to the treatment.

Dr. Phoenix gently lifted Lightnings loose sweatshirt. "I see that the bruising haven't stopped yet. It's normal this early in the treatment." she informed. Lightning released a relieved breath, she did not think about the bruising unless she looked at them, but she had been a bit worried about them.

"If they start growing rapidly, please call me right away." Dr. Phoenix continued. Lightning nodded.

"How are you feeling otherwise? Are you still having painful seizures?" the woman asked while she moved the stethoscope around on the girls back.

"Not as often. And when it happens, they're not as strong as they used to be." she replied.

"Are you talking about the muscle or heart seizures now?" the woman asked.

"Muscle seizures. Sorry." Lightning shook her head at herself.

"It's quite alright dear. What about the heart seizures?" she asked.

Lightning thought for a moment. "I haven't had any in a while..."

"Let's hope it stays that way." Dr. Phoenix smiled at her patient. Lightning looked at her and carefully smiled back.

"I will be listening on your heart from the front, so please lay on your back."

Lightning complied.

Dr. Phoenix lifted Lightning sweater and listened at her heart with her stethoscope. Moving around a few times before removing the stethoscope from her ears. "All done. I'd like to perform another test. But first I need to ask you, are you feeling light-headed?"

Lightning stared at the doctor with confusion chiseled on her face. "No?"

Dr. Phoenix smiled. "Don't worry Claire. I want to listen to your heart after you have been physically active, if you feel that you're up for it?"

Lightning nodded slowly. This was one weird checkup session.

~( •~• )~~( •~• )~~( •~• )~

In the waiting hall, Snow was sitting with his head hanging down, sleeping. And that is how Lightning found him when she came out from Dr. Phoenix's office. Shaking her head at him, she walked up to him.

"Hey, doofey?" she poked his foot with hers. No reaction.

"Doofey?" she called out again and kicked his foot. This time, he reacted, but he did not wake up. Only mumbled something incoherent. Lightning sighed and kicked his foot so that it slides across the floor and almost pulled him down from the chair and onto the floor.

This time, he woke up.

Confused, he looked up at Lightning. "Oh, you're done?" she asked with a nervous laugh.

"Yes, sleepyhead." she smirked at him, and he visibly relaxed. "I'm not fully done though, they want a blood sample before I leave." she added and started walking down the hallway. Snow quickly followed.

He stared at her face intently, which was bothering her. "What are you doing?" she asked after a few seconds of concentrated staring.

"Hey, are you okay? It looks like you've run a marathon or something? Your face is red..." there was concern in his voice. Lightning was bothered by it because she could obviously handle herself, but at the same time, she was touched and a bit surprised that he cared.

"I'm fine Snow, I had to do a little exercise so she could listen to my heart rate when I'm physically active, and then see how long it takes for it to settle." she informed him.

He nodded. "Bet it didn't take long huh?" he smiled.

"It hasn't settled yet..." Lightning mumbled. Snow's face fell.

The rest of the hospital visit was quiet.

~( •~• )~~( •~• )~~( •~• )~

Serah released a heavy breath as she dropped down in the couch next to her redheaded friend.

"Feels good to be done, huh?" Vanille smiled at her.

Serah nodded. They had gone over everything. Wiped every surface and object, cleaned the windows and wiped the tables, dusted the lamps and the books in the bookshelf, they also vacuumed and swabbed the floors thoroughly.

"Yes it does." Serah replied with a smile on her face. Not cleaning for a week could drive her insane, especially if she started seeing even the smallest of dust bunnies anywhere.

The smile stayed on her face as she marveled their feat, she was very satisfied with their effort.

Throwing a glance at Vanille, she chuckled lightly when the redheaded girl's head hung down.

"Are you tired?"

"M-hm. I'm tired, very happy about what we've achieved, but tired." she flashed the pinkette a cheeky grin.

The sound of the door opening came to their ears.

Vanille found herself smiling at the knowledge that Lightning was back.

A few seconds passed by before she realized that Snow was merrily chattering away. Glancing at Serah, the other girl looked like she felt, utterly bemused.

They got up and walked over to the hallway that lead to the hall.

Snow was wearing a huge grin as he spoke, but both of the girls was far to astounded to catch on what he was going on about.

Vanille's eyes drifted over to the older Farron. She was in the process of removing her jacket, a small, polite smile rested on her lips.

Vanille's heart fluttered, the older girls usual sharp features softened and relaxed, and Vanille could not help but feel foolish. She had seen the older Farron relaxed and at peace before, but her heart refused to stop reacting each and every time.

Her gaze fell to the floor as she tried to collect her thoughts.

"I hope it wasn't too much of a pain to ride in the moped Lightning... I could try to clean it 'till next time..." Snow said and smiled sheepishly while scratching the back of his neck.

Lightning shook her head. "It is fine, I got used to it after a few minutes." she kicked of her boot and turned her gaze to the boy. "Thanks for the ride anyway."

Snow's sheepish smile turned into a confident grin. "Hey, no problem! That's what younger sisters boyfriends are here for aren't they?" he said with a nervous tint to his tone.

To all of their surprise, Lightning chuckled at his joke. "I'm not planing to exploit your offering, but thanks." she added and crossed her arms with a lingering smirk present on her lips.

"Okay Lightning. Well, you have my number, so just send me a text and I'll see you next time then!" he said and extended his fist towards her.

Lightning looked at his closed fist. She knew that what he was offering was a kind of an friends request. She glanced up at him.

Her expression was unreadable, the moment he had extended his fist, the small smirk she had worn had disappeared. He was growing more and more nervous under her gaze.

Lightning broke the tension with a nod off her head and an amused smirk sent towards Snow. "Don't push it." she said and turned around with a spin of her heel and started walking towards her room.

"Right." Snow retracted his hand and it ended up behind his head, complimenting his sheepish expression. "See you Lightning." he said and waved after her.

Lightning raised an eyebrow at Vanille and Serah as she approached them. "Hey girls." was all she said as she passed them and disappeared into her room.

When Lightning disappeared, Serah shook herself out of her trance and approached Snow with a soft smile and brows furrowed in bemusement. "Did something happen between the two of you?" she asked with a hint of giggles in her voice.

"Not much, she just told me she don't hate me basically..." Snow replied and scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "I'm not really sure what happened, but she's been more friendly since anyway." he smiled.

Serah beamed at him, stepping up to the taller boy and clung to his neck.

Vanille just stood there feeling a bit awkward. She shuffled her feet and searched for something other than the pair in front of her to look at.

To her great relief, she noticed Lightning's backpack on the floor. Internally celebrating that she was able to escape the awkwardness, she reached down to pick up the soft blue backpack. "It seems that Lightning forgot her backpack, I'll return it to her." she announced. Serah nodded, her eyes fixated on the boyfriend she had missed lots lately.

With a bounce in her step, Vanille turned around and took off towards the older Farron's quarters.

Serah allowed herself to just enjoy the presence of the boy she loved so much, inhaling his scent and losing herself in his arms for a moment.

Opening her eyes, she took a step back so she could look him in the eye. "So..." she said, letting a content sigh escape her smiling lips. "I trust everything went well then?"

Snow nodded enthusiastically. "Much better than I expected, considering the fact that she kinda accepted me just like that... or something.. I'm not sure what happened or where we're standing..."

He lowered his gaze and stared into space with an expression closely resembling that of a confused puppy. Serah could not help herself and pinched his cheek and giggled. Finding his odd demeanor endearing.

Snow grinned happily at her.

But deep inside, he was struggling.

He did not like lying to Serah, and he had told the older sister that fact. She had dismissed his worries and said that technically it was not a lie, he was just not supposed to mention everything to her.

Which to him sounded and felt very much like a lie.

Deciding to stay on the good side of his 'sister-in-law', he kept his mouth shut and trusted that she would tell Serah herself. It was not really his responsibility to begin with.

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he cherished the short moment they had together before he needed to leave.

~( ^-^ )~ ~( *_ *)~

Lightning softly closed the door behind her and leaned her back against it. Releasing a breath, she reached up and ran her hand down her face. A thin coat of sweat covered her skin, today had been a tough day and the little energy she had was totally drained at this point.

Heavy steppes brought her towards the bed. On the way over, she lazily removed her hoodie and scarf, tossing them in the general direction of her chair.

Face planting her mattress, she uttered a sound of content and was just about to drift off to sleep when she remembered;

the heart monitor.

Forgetting it now may be especially stupid, considering that her heart was still skipping beats and beating irregularly from time to time ever since the test at the doc's.

She sloppily turned around to lie on her back as she struggled with the strap. But the strap was persistent and in the end she had enough, figuring it was good enough, she extended her arm and pushed the button that would start her sleeping monitoring.

She drifted off to sleep before her arm had a chance of making its way back to her side.

~( '.')~? ,( -_-),

Meanwhile, Vanille was rocking on the balls of her feet right outside the bedroom door. Deciding on whether or not to enter Lightnings room to return the bag. She could always just leave it here right outside the older girl's door.

Shaking her head, she bit the inside of her cheek and lowered her eyebrows. She was going in and she was going to politely return the backpack that Lightning had left in the hall.

Sucking in a breath, she put her hand on the handle. Slowly releasing said breath before pushing down on the handle.

"Sorry for disturbing you." she mentioned carefully before properly entering. "You forgot your backpack in the hall, and I thought..."

Her words died down as she realized that the receiving end of the conversation was not listening.

The room was bright, the sun was settling and the golden light shone trough the window and covered the room like a warm blanket.

But the thing that caught her eye was not the room itself, but the beauty that lay on the bed.

Vanille slowly took a few steppes closer, moving very carefully not to disturb the sleeping girl in front of her.

The light washed over her pale skin. Her face looked so at peace that Vanille would had been worried if it not for the light sleeping noises coming from the girls tantalizing lips and the slow and steady rise and fall of her chest.

A few seconds passed by before Vanille caught herself staring at Lightnings chest, heat spread to her cheeks as she frowned at herself. However, her eyes did not leave the older girl as she let her eyes caress the soft skin of Lightnings collarbone and slender neck, over her narrow chin and up her cheek and coming to a stop at her closed eyes.

Seeing her like this with her eyes closed and so relaxed, her long lashed draped over the top of her cheekbone, Vanille could not stop her insides from tingling.

A puff of air made her eyes flutter.

A hot blush spread once again over her cheeks when Vanille found herself only inches from Lightnings face, and lips mere millimeters apart.

Gasping, she threw herself backwards.

_Vanille! Get a hang of yourself, what are you doing?!_

Combing her fingers through her hair, she released a heavy breath. _I was only supposed to give her backpack back to her..._

A tilted smile spread across her lips as she watched the sleeping beauty in silence.

_I wonder what it feels like-..._

It was hard, but she managed to tear her gaze from the other girl and turn around. Stopping in the doorway, she looked back into the room, at the sleeping girl.

_-I wonder what it's like.. to kiss Lightning Farron..._

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<br>_Don't forget to leave me a review!


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Hiya!**

So here's the next chapter, I hope you're still out there?  
>Didn't get as much response as I usually do on a chapter, I hope you peeps didn't lose interest when I was gone for so long? ^^;<p>

_**Disclaimer!  
><strong>I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic! I am merely borrowing the characters from Square Enix for teh lulz!  
><em>_The old lady is purely fictional!_

Please enjoy _Chapter Fourteen_ of _Fatum Amor_!

* * *

><p>She was awake, she just refused to open her eyes.<br>Her body was warm and light, it felt like she could float away at any minute.  
>The thought of it made her smile and a soft impulse of laughter bubbled up in her throat.<p>

She snuggled in deeper between the covers, they were soft and silky against her cheeks.

She did not remember much from the night before, she did not even remember if she had taken her pills or when she changed clothes. But here she was, feeling fine, in her pajamas, so she could only assume that she had taken care of everything before going to sleep. Thinking about it, she remembered collapsing on her bed for a few hours before getting up, but she did not remember what she did when she was awake.

Whatever, it did not really matter now what she did yesterday.

A soft click cut through the silence, but it did not ruin her mood and she refused to peek at whatever made the noise and kept her eyes shut. She could hear someone move through the room, but she still refused to look.

"Do you think she's asleep?"

It was Serah, presumably standing in the doorway.  
>The footsteps came even closer. She could just assume that the person sneaking about would be-<p>

"I don't know.. she looks like she's sleeping..."

_That voice..._

Lightning felt her stomach twist and a tingling sensation that spread up her chest. The light, girly voice with a slight accent had more of an impact on her than she ever thought simply hearing someone's voice would have.

"I think she might be sleeping, her eyes are closed..."

She needed to do something right now, if she kept talking, Lightning did not know what she would do.

So she opened her eyes.

Red hair and green eyes filled her vision.

And very soon, red cheeks.

A squeal filled the room and Vanille threw herself backwards.

Lightning sat up and stared at the redhead that had ended up on her bum on the floor next to the bed. "What are you doing in my room?" she asked and looked over at the door were Serah peeked through.

"We weren't sure you were awake... but at least you are now..." she said and smiled sheepishly at her older sister. "I have your meds."

Lightning threw a glance down at Vanille as Serah approached her, and caught the girl looking at her with an expression she did not recognize. As soon as their eyes met, Vanilles lips tensed up, her eyes widened and she quickly diverted her gaze and stood up.

Lightning felt her cheeks burn, what did that dreamy expression just now mean?

She did not have time to ponder on it as Serah held out a glass of water towards her and a small pill in between her fingertips.

~( •-• )~ ~( •w• )~

Lightning had caught her, their gazes had locked for several milliseconds, and she had seen her looking up at her. And she had been at the brink of drooling too!

Vanille lowered her face and planted her forehead against her knees. She was sitting alone on top of an unused drier with her legs pulled up against her chest, waiting for the washing machine to finish.

She had been kicking herself mentally since this morning, luckily, she had been able to - kinda - avoid looking Lightning in the eye since then. She was practically living at the Farron sisters residence nowadays, and avoiding someone fully in a small apartment is next to impossible.

She sighed and lifted her head up, frowning, she sluggishly gazed at the washing machine. It was still half an hour left. She had been waiting for one hour and thirty minutes already.

She did not mind though.

She needed to be alone. The day had been incredibly awkward, mostly because she felt awkward, both Serah and Lightning acted like normal.

Sighing again, she closed her eyes and furrowed her brows. "I can't believe she caught me.." her cheeks heated up again. "Why was I staring anyway? It wasn't like I did it on purpose, I was just thinking about-..."

A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Silence followed.

A cough emitting from the corner almost caused her to fall of the dryer. Gripping her heart, she twirled around to find the source of the cough.

An elderly lady sat on a chair in the corner, looking at her with a small smile.

Vanille felt the heat from her cheeks spread all over her face. _H-how much did she hear?!_

The lady smacked her lips once. "I'm sorry dear, did I startle you?" she chuckled. Her puffy, wrinkly cheeks bounced when she chuckled. "I guess you didn't see me over here. _Hmmm_." she said and chuckled even more.

Vanille nodded. "I'm sorry."

The lady's smile grew. "It's okay dear, I'm used to being overlooked nowadays."

The lady's eyes looked into Vanille's, and she felt like the woman could see straight through her. Her eyes pierced right through her, but they were not fierce nor mean. She seemed kind, and her eyes honest.

"I couldn't help but overhear your mulling. Now, what were you thinking about while looking at this other girl?" she smiled.

Vanille's nerves started tingling. But the woman smiled in a knowing way, telling her that she had heard exactly everything and she would not be able to lie her way out of this.

She sighed. "Well... I.. uhm.."

The lady chuckled silently. Vanille frowned at herself.

"Last night, I went into her room to give her one of her possessions back..." she cleared her throat nervously. "And the light and everything, y'know, she was sleeping and y'know!" she started rambling, and the fact only seemed to amuse the woman even more, which only made Vanille even _more _nervous and embarrassed.

"And y'know, I was looking at her since I wanted to make sure she was awake and everything! And y'know.. I c-couldn't stop staring at her li-_eeh_..." she trailed off, she could not say it. Why was she saying all this to this woman anyway?

"Lips?" the woman chuckled more audible now.

Vanille's face heated up even more. How did she know? Did she figure it out?

The redhead only nodded, what more could she do?

"I see." the woman smiled to herself and nodded, then fell silent. Still with the small, unreadable smile on her lips. Vanille tilted her head, that was it?

She had expected some kind of reaction, be it negative or positive, but some sort of reaction.

She was just about to open her mouth when a click at the door drew her attention to the opposite end of the washroom.

Lightning stepped through the door, the way she looked around suggested that she was looking around for something. Vanille lowered her head a bit, not wanting her stare to be too obvious.

A tingle set of in her chest when Lightnings azure blue gaze fell on her and the older girl set of towards her.

"Hey." she said once she came into hearing distance.

"Hi, what are you doing here?" Vanille asked, a bit bemused. Why would Lightning come here?

The older girl only diverted her gaze, and a pink hue spread across her cheeks. Vanille noticed this, and was about to grow deaf due to her own heartbeat thundering in her chest and ears.

"I'm checking on you." she mumbled, barely audible, but Vanille heard it and beamed. Guessing that the older girl did not really like admitting it out loud, but she could not come up with something other to say.

"Serah forbid me from helping you carry the laundry. But she said I could ask you what you would like for dinner." Lightning was still not looking at the redhead.

Leaning against a dryer on the other side from where Vanille was sitting, Lightning crossed her arms.

Vanille mulled for a moment. "I'm not really hungry..." she said.

Lightning nodded. "Serah was thinking about some kind of pasta sauce. I'm guessing you don't mind?" she glanced at the younger girl and raised an eyebrow.

Vanille shook her head. "Not at all, I like Serah's food!" her enthusiastic exclamation, rosy cheeks and squealing expression made Lightning want to grin at her. Blushing again, she only diverted her gaze with a smirk she could not get rid of.

"Great."

They stood there in silence. Glancing at each other from time to time.

"I should get going." Lightning said and pushed herself off the dryer. "The washing machine is finished within the minute." she added with a nod towards the machine next to Vanille before she started walking in the opposite direction.

Vanille nodded to herself as she glances at the machine before looking back at the retreating girl. "Lightning!"

The girl in question stopped in her tracks and turned around halfway without looking back, to indicate that she was listening.

"Did you come here because you didn't want me to feel lonely?" she asked with a sly smile on her lips.

The small part of the girls cheek that she could see turned rosy, but the older girl did not move. Vanille felt her heart tingle and her smile grew. "Thank you."

Lightning lingered for a moment before nodding and walking out of the room.

As soon as the door had closed, Vanille released a happy sigh.

A chuckle made her jump.

"Oh, sorry dear, I guess you forgot that I was here, _hmmm_." the old lady was still seated in the corner, and Vanille had to admit that she had forgot about her the moment Lightning walked in.

She still could not believe that Lightning would come see her simply because she cared. There were no other explanation right?

The old lady smiled, noticing that Vanille was far lost in her own world.

"She cares about you dear, it is very apparent when the two of you socialize." she said. Vanille snapped her head around and stared at the lady with wide eyes and burning cheeks. How could she see such a thing when Vanille noticed nothing of the sort, Lightning seemed mostly indifferent about her existence over all.

"H-how could you tell?" she was not entirely sure whether or not she wanted that question answered.

What if the lady was wrong? She knew that she would believe whatever the lady was about to say. She wanted Lightning to like her, but to be honest, she was not sure if she wanted to be just friends.

Just thinking about it caused her insides to tingle and her cheeks to burn.

The washing machine's _'beep' _brought her out of her own thoughts. She glanced at the lady in the corner, she nodded to herself as Vanille hopped off the dryer to empty the washing machine.

"I can tell because I am old and I have lived a fruitful life." she chuckled. "The way her gaze lingers at you when you're not looking says more than words could ever do." she nodded knowingly to herself.

When silence followed, she opened her old eyes to glance at the young girl.

Vanille was trembling. She had stopped what she was doing and just stared at the wet fabric in her hands.

Lightning's gaze lingered... on _her_?

Friends eyes do not linger, not in the way the old lady meant, right?

So Lightning was also peeking at _her_?

What now?

Vanille looked up, and after a few seconds, she turned around. "What do I do now?"

The old lady chuckled. The machine she was using beeped. Getting up took great effort, but she had her cane to lean on.

"Dear, you are obviously head over heals into that girl." she said as she made her way over to her washing machine. "You could just as well make a billboard and put it over the highway." she chuckled.

Vanille could feel her ears growing hot. But she waited for the woman to continue.

"I knew it back when..." she struggled with her laundry for a few seconds. "I knew it when I saw the way you hesitated outside her door at the hospital."

The lady turned around with a sly smile. Vanille stared at her with wide eyes, still holding her wet laundry. "Wha-_what_!" she could not believe her ears. She thought the woman looked familiar, but to think it was the same woman and that she had noticed that much from a mere minute of talking at the hospital a month ago?

The lady chuckled. "Close your mouth dear, you look like a fish on land."

Vanille complied. "I didn't recognize you, I'm sorry." she bowed. When she stood up again, the woman had started her drier and was turned towards her.

"You'll get cold walking outside when your clothes are wet, you better put those in the dryer." she said with a warm smile.

Vanille looked down at the fabric she had against her tummy. The water had seeped through her clothes and it was getting a bit chilly. Briskly putting the heap inside the closest dryer, she pushed start and turned back to the lady. She had returned to her corner and was sitting with a book in her hand.

Vanille stood in silence for several moments while the lady kept turning pages.

"What..." Vanille began, drawing the woman's attention. "What do you suppose I do?" Vanille asked. Her gaze steadfast on a spot on the floor.

The woman watched her for a few moment, before she smiled and closed her book. She waved for Vanille to come closer, to which she complied. When she was a few steps from the lady she bent down, the lady leaned in towards her. "Tell her, or someone you trust."

Sitting back, she continued reading her book.

Vanille blinked.

The answer was so simple yet complicated at the same time.

But she felt it, a glimmer of hope inside of her.

"Thank you!" she called out with a bright smile on her lips, before she set off towards the door.

The old lady looked after her until the door closed behind her, and chuckled.

"Younglings. _Hmmm_."

~( ò-ó )~ ~( •v• )~

Halfway up the stairs, Vanille stopped her rushing. Who was she supposed to tell?

There was no way in heaven she was brave enough to tell _Lightning _right away.

Serah came to mind, but how would she react?

Vanille was not sure, and therefore she did not know what to do. She sat down at one of the top steppes of a stair section, holding her head between her hands, she sighed. _What now? I can't tell Lightning just like that, can I?_

_I mean, it's not like I've seen any similar signs that she'd like me..._

She frowned.

Serah knew and was okay with her sexual orientation, and besides that, Serah had trusted her with everything and Vanille had trusted her with everything through all the years they had been friends. She should speak with her.

Making a decision, she got up. Just as she got on her feet, her cellphone started buzzing. Raising a confused eyebrow, she took it out of her pocket and looked at the message.

**'Food's ready. Serah too lazy to get her phone. / Light'**

Vanille stared at the message.

Lightning had texted her.

A huge smile spread across her lips. _Lightning _had texted _her_!

Vanille looked around, and then sneakily saved the number in her cellphone. She felt like a crook, but if Lightning truly did not want her to have access to her number, she would not have texted her. Right?

**'Okay, thanks! I'll be right up! :D'**

She smiled at herself, and as she tapped _'send'_, a nervous tingle tickled her tummy.

~( •\\\\•)~ -3 (•\\\\• )

She had read the message three times already.

She guessed that the girl had already saved her number, Serah had told her that Vanille would. Lightning did not mind, her phone was probably not going to be much more active anyway.

Putting her phone down, she glanced over at her sister at the stove. "How're you doing?"

Serah nodded. "It's coming along nicely." she replied, a bit preoccupied. "Oh, did I tell you that she probably saves your number if you text her?"

"Yes, this is the second time you're telling me that." Lightning rolled her eyes.

"Oh, sorry!" Serah chuckled.

They grew silent.

After a few moments, Serah peeked at her older sister over her shoulder. Lightning was sitting with her chin resting in the palm of her hand, staring dreamily out over the living room and out the living room window.

Turning back to her pots, she could not help thinking thoughts that came back to her time after time.

_I wonder if Light ever thought she was going to die? What does it feel like to think that you're close to death? _she shuddered.

_What would I have done if I had lost her?_

The first few weeks, she blocked herself from such thoughts, they pained her to no end, and they still hurt. But the question kept coming back into her mind.

She glanced back at Light again. She was staring at her phone with an unreadable expression except from the tiny smile on her lips. Serah smiled.

_She would never hurt you Light, you don't have to be afraid._

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><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

__I know it was a shorter chapter, but the next one shouldn't be too long

Don't forget to leave a review! Constructive criticism is always appreciated!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Hiya!

I know many of you have been awaiting this chapter patiently, thank you for your patience!  
>I have been moving, I was planning on posting this chapter earlier, but it was delayed because of different reasons involving packing and unpacking.<p>

My fiancé whom I now live with has just let me off the hook long enough to publish this, we're still busy packing up, haha.

I want to thank all of you who reviewed Chapter 14, but I want to send a thank you to my guest readers **Goobah** and **ordaneius** since I can't reply to your kind words personally! (I've seen your comments before Goobah; and I'm glad to see that you're a frequent visitor!)

Well that's enough of me.  
>Please, enjoy<em> Chapter Fifteen<em> of _Fatum Amor_!

* * *

><p><em>This is getting bothersome...<em>

Lightning was lying on her bed with her cellphone in her hands, staring up at her white ceiling. She had been lying about, pondering, for the last hour or so.

The last few days, her body had started feeling funny and she grew restless more often. And she could not figure out just why this was happening.

She might have guessed that she was getting better, that her energy was getting back to her, if it was not for the obvious fact that she was still ill. She even got winded from walking up the three sets of stairs to their apartment.

Dr. Phoenix had banned her from any activity that made her heart start beating rapidly. Which meant that she was forbidden from hurrying; which also meant that she had to walk up the stairs as fast as an old and crippled lady - according to herself, since she was not allowed of taking three steppes in one - and she was also forbidden from watching horror movies, which for future references, happened to be her favorite genre.

But lately, there was something else that made her heart pound, and that was something she had no control over, whatsoever.

Her cellphone buzzed for the sixteenth time. Yes, he had been counting.

Vanille had spent her time sending different smileys to her cellphone since she retreated to her room.

The time between messages had increased as time went by, but she still had not used the same smiley twice.

Lightning lifted her cellphone from her stomach and scrolled through their conversation.

18:21 **'Why'd you go? Are you feeling down? :('**

18:23** 'I know how to cheer you up!'**

18:24** 'I'm gunna send you smiles until you can't stop smiling!'**

18:25** ':D'**

18:27** ':3'**

18:32 **':)'**

18:39** '^^'**

18:48 **'•v•'**

18:54 **'^w^'**

18:59 **'w'**

19:05 **'•w•'**

19:14 **'^u^'**

19:21 **'^з^'**

19:26 **'I sure hope you're smiling, because it's getting harder coming up with smileys y'know!'**

19:28 **'^_^'**

19:32** 'I don't even know if you're seeing my messages! TT~TT'**

Lightning was actually smiling. Vanille was being silly, and in some crazy way, Lightning found it endearing.

Replying, she wrote;** 'Hah. You're crazy' **and tapped send.

This is what have been bothering her, the rapid heartbeat she got when she had sent the message was identical to whenever Vanille was acting up or behaving in a silly way.

It did not matter what she did, Lightning noticed about everything without looking.

She knew she had a crush on the girl, or at least she thought it was a crush. The only thing that made her uncertain of what kind of feelings she housed for the younger girl, was that she did not remember that her last infatuation had bothered her this much.

_It doesn't matter how hard I try, I can't get her out of my mind!_

Lightning left the cellphone lying on her stomach and put the palm of her hands over her eyes. Sighing heavily in frustration, she ruffled the pink bangs and shouted inwardly.

_The last time you let someone in, it went to hell with everything. Curses on love, affection and everything in between!_

She combed through her hair with her fingers and frowned deeply.

She could feel them burning, both in her throat and behind her eyes, wanting to get out and fall from her face. But she was not going to cry, for she was strong. Love was not for her, and she knew it. Life had proved it to her big time.

Swallowing hard, she twitched when she received another text message.

**'Yay, you noticed! ;D'**

Lightning huffed with a small, sad smile on her lips. _Too bad I don't do dating..._

Mentally slapping herself for letting such thoughts slip, she closed her eyes and went back to resting.

~( •o•')~! ,(-_-),

She did not even realize that she had fallen asleep before she woke up.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she glanced at her alarm clock on her bedside table. 20:27. She was late with her pills. Sitting up, she checked herself for any abnormalities, but everything seemed fine.

Getting up from the bed, her legs felt wobbly, presumably an effect from the lack of blood pressure medicines. Sighing when she had to focus to walk properly, she made her way out of the room and started walking towards the kitchen.

She could hear the murmurs from the living room, Vanille and Serah was probably watching television. That was presumably the reason why no one came to her with her pills like they used to.

She preferred to handle herself though, she did not need their pity.

Making it to the sink, she leaned her hips against the counter to hold her balance. Focusing on reading on the medicine containers in front of her.

She had a hard time concentrating, half an hour or so past her pill-time, and she was affected this much?

Finding the correct pills, she popped the lid and put a pill on the counter.

_Damn..._her breathing was even getting irregular. She recognized the signs, but prayed that she would not need her orange pills.

Reaching for a glass, she held it under the water faucet and let the cold water run until it filled her glass.

_What the fuck..._

Her hand was trembling so much to that water spilled off the edge and onto her hand. Her fingers was even beginning to slip. Having to hold onto the glass with both hands, she hurriedly put it on the counter next to her pill not to drop it.

Putting the pill in her mouth, it stuck to her tongue and mouth, she did not realize she was so dry. Holding on tight to the glass, she struggled to bring it to her lips.

Her heart skipped a beat, causing her to tremble.

_Shit, shit, shit!_

She hoped that she was not to late with her meds, she hoped that she would not need to take her orange pills.

She managed to bring the glass to her mouth, the water splashed against her lips and as she started drinking, it felt like she was drinking the God's nectar.

The glass was soon empty in three huge gulps.

She smiled to herself as she lowered the glass.

**-****Thump****-**

She could feel her knees buckle and her fingers let go of the glass. The next thing she knows, she opened her eyes right before she hits the floor with a loud _thud_.

Her body trembling and occasionally convulsing.

Her breaths were ragged and deep, gasping like a fish on land, her body was trying desperately to kickstart her heart.

Her eyes were unfocused and she could literally feel the energy leaving her body.

Painful milliseconds between heartbeats felt like an eternity each, and each heartbeat sent a painful convulsion through her torso.

_I can't take it!_

With great effort, she forced herself off of the floor and onto her elbows.

"Light!" Vanille and Serah had heard the glass fall to the floor and shatter, but it had taken seconds before they realized what may have happened.

They stormed into the room right as Lightning was forcing herself into a sitting position, her whole body trembling and swaying from side to side.

Vanille reached her first, and without thinking, throwing herself down onto her knees, she scootched as close as she could to the older teen and wrapped her arms around her shoulders to stop her from swaying. Pulling her back, she had Lightning's whole upper torso leaning against her.

Serah got down on her knees beside Lightning, placing her hands on both sides of her sisters face. "Light!"

_Oh?_

Lightnings cheeks were wet, was she crying?

Serah looked into her sisters eyes, and almost winced back.

Her sisters lovely azure blue orbs were darkened by pain. Her usual gentle, studying and focused gaze was clouded, hard and almost angry. Tears was rolling down her cheeks and onto Serah's hand in a steady stream, but Lightning displayed no sign of sadness, only pain and something resembling anger.

"Light..." she whispered as she searched the girls eyes for her sister, this was not Lightning. This was some kind of substitute mask that she hid behind whilst fighting whatever were going on on the inside.

Serah nodded to herself and decided that it was best to let her handle it.

Earning a confused glance from Vanille, Serah got up from the floor and reached for a medical container on top of the counter. The least she could do for Lightning was to ease her pain.

It had been a while since she had needed these pills, because she had not been in a lot of pain lately. But this was without question a seizure, and Dr. Phoenix had told her to give her these if Lightning was obviously suffering.

Turning around and bending down, she forced the orange pill in between the pale lips of her sister.

"Please swallow this, I know you don't like it, but it will help you..." she whispered as she rubbed Lightning's cheek with her thumb.

Lightning glanced at her sister for a few moments, but complied. Serah smiled.

"There's nothing more we can do.." she said in a low voice to Vanille. "We just have to make sure she's comfortable until the drugs kick in."

The redhead nodded. She could see on Serah's face that she was blaming herself for her sisters suffering. And she had to admit that this would not have happened if they had been more aware of the time. Guilt hit her, and caused her to hold the older girl a little bit tighter. Internally apologizing to her as she slowly swayed from side to side to try and help her relax while watching Serah pick up the broken glass chards.

-( x_x')- (T~T )

Moments had passed. Only a few minutes ago, the girl she held in her arms had been trembling fiercely and convulsing so badly that Vanille thought she was going to fold herself over several times.

Right now, the older girl was simply sitting there. Still trembling, but to compare this to her prior state was like comparing a washing machine's trembling to an earthquake.

Vanille had not let go once, she felt like if she did, Lightning would fall to the floor without getting up again. She knew it was impossible, but she liked to think that she was what kept her going right now.

A small smile spread on her lips, her arms were a bit more relaxed now, as she sat with her cheek against the upper back on the older girl.

Serah had left them in the kitchen right after she had cleaned up the glass to call Dr. Phoenix and tell her what had happened. Vanille guessed that she was on the phone with Snow right now, since she could hear the quiet, unsteady mumble of her best friend in the other room.

Movement caused Vanille to sit up straight. Lightning was slowly relaxing, and as a cause of it, she leaned deeper into the arms of the young redhead.

Vanille smiled. Lightning's breathing had gone from gasping to more of a normal pace just a few minutes back, and right now she was breathing slowly as if sleeping or resting. Her breaths still sounded a bit cut off at the end of both her inhales and exhales, but at least she was breathing like a human, not a marine creature on land.

Vanilles eyes widened when Lightning tucked her legs in and leaned into her even more, she had not been this openly comfortable with her since that time when she randomly hugged her.

Vanille could not keep the goofy smile off her face whenever she thought of it.

Vanille's heart skipped a beat when Lightning relaxed and her head ended up in the crook of her neck. Her heart was thundering so loud in her ears that she was beginning to worry that Lightning would hear it soon.

She had to remind herself that Lightning was currently on drugs, and high-Lightning was far off from regular-Lightning.

Thinking about it in that way made it easier to relax.

"Thank you."

The older girls voice was so quiet that it would only had been audible to the two of them even if Serah was in the room. It made Vanille smile.

"I'll always be here for you, Claire. All you have to do is ask."

Her heart swelled and her whole inside started fluttering as she finished her sentence. It was true, and she knew it. It felt good to say.

She looked down on to older girl, the proximity between their faces made it hard for her to see clearly, but Lightning was smiling.

"You know my real name..." she said in a dreamy manner. "Very few know my real name." she spoke softly and slowly.

"I overheard it at the hospital." she explained. She was not sure Lightning would remember any of this later on.

"I don't really like my real name..." Lightning said after a few moments of silence. "..but it sounds kinda nice when you say it." she finished and smiled again.

Vanille though her heart would stop. What Lightning had just said touched her more than she thought it would. She disliked her name, but liked it when she said it, her, Vanille.

A familiar heat spread across her cheeks. "I'm f-flattered."

Lightning chuckled. "You're cute when you're stuttering." her voice was growing more and more sleepy.

Vanille was dumbfounded. Maybe the lady in the washing facility was right, maybe Lightning actually did have a small fancy for her?

She did not dare to get ahead of herself, but it started to sound like it more and more for every time that she replayed their conversation just now in her mind.

Vanille was so far off in her own thoughts that she did not even notice that the girl in her arms had dozed off.

( •w•)(\\\\')

Everything moved so slowly.

Even herself.

It was as if someone had slowed down time itself, and at the same time removed all colors from everyone except herself.

But that was not the weirdest thing, the weirdest thing was that she was floating upside down, watching everyone move about downtown as if she was standing in the ceiling. _What does this mean?_

She looked around, there were a lot of people, but no one she knew.

Returning her gaze in front of her, she spotted someone she knew. The girl smiled confidently at her before approaching. Besides herself, the girl was the only person with color on skin and clothing, the rest of the enviroment was all gray.

The girl stopped only a feet away from her face.

"Vanille?" she heard herself say. The redhead's smile widened.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Vanille looked down into the ground. When she looked back again, she also stepped in closer.

Only inches apart, Lightning could feel her own heartbeat in her throat.

As in super slow motion, Vanille started leaning in.

Lightning did not know what to feel, was this truly what she wanted?

She knew she had a crush on the girl, she also knew that hearts were made to be broken and that staying out of it all together would be for the best.

But did she really have to put feelings and effort into it? Could she not just hop on and enjoy the ride?

She was unsure. She did not know whether or not she would be able to hold back her feelings if they became closer than simple friends or acquaintances.

Vanille was only millimeters from her lips now, she needed to make a decision, quick!

She could feel her heart hammering, aching for whatever the girl offered. But she recognized the feeling, it was the same feeling she had for _her_.

As if her body had already made a decision for her, her eyes closed and she started leaning in, but she was still confused.

~( •~• )~

She woke up with a jolt, her cellphone was ringing.

Drowsily, she reached for the phone present on her bedside table.

It was not ringing, it was an alarm saying **'09:00 - Take your medicine'**.

A good thing those alarms.

Lingering for a moment, she waited until the heat had left her cheeks and for her heart to stop hammering. It took some time though, since even a thought of her dream made her cheeks gush with heat once more.

With sluggish movements, she stood up from the bed. Her knees buckled slightly and she could feel the aftershock from her seizure last night. Her knees were weak, her breathing was still cut off at the end and her chest felt like her insides were doubled in size and sore.

Groaning, she made it out of her room.

No one seemed to be awake, so she moved as quietly as possible. It was hard, since her body did not respond as it usually did.

( •-•)...

_I barely got any sleep and still wake up this early?_

Vanille frowned and released a light sigh. She had hoped that her body was smart enough to understand that it needed to recover from last night since she got to bed late and had trouble sleeping.

Mostly because she could still feel the older Farron's back against her chest for hours after Lightning removed herself.

Sighing again, she lay on her side to stop herself from staring a hole in the ceiling.

A reoccurring though came into her mind, it had been buzzing about in her head ever since the lady in the washroom told her that Lightnings eyes were lingering on her, it had been three days and she still could not block the thoughts from her mind.

What if it was truth?

What would it be like to date _Lightning Farron_?

Many times had she batted away her thoughts since she did not want to think about it, she did not want to get her hopes up for nothing if it would turn out that the old lady was simply delusional.

Footsteps passing by outside Serah's bedroom door caught her attention. So she was awake?

Initially, she wanted to get up and go to her, be with her until Serah woke up just like that morning before everything, after the movie night.

She smiled at the though.

Back then, she looked up to the older Farron sibling. Now, only a month and two weeks later or so, she had a full blown crush on the girl.

Heat spread across her cheeks as her mind asked her once again; _what would it be like to date Light?_

Sighing, she got up. Hanging out with Lightning should keep her mind from bothering her at the least.

Or so she thought.

Two hours later, Serah had still not woke up, and everything Lightning did sent shivers down her spine.

During the two hours, Lightning had made them both french toast for breakfast, they had eaten the meal while chatting and they were now seated in the living room.

Vanille was nervous. Well.. she had been nervous all morning only by being near the older girl and speaking with her. But now she was nervous because Lightning was holding an orange pill in between her index finger and her thumb, with a glass of water in the other hand.

Vanille knew that she needed the pill because of the seizure, that the girl was actually having chest pains as a consequence. But she still wished Lightning would wait until Serah woke up at the very least.

"Does your chest hurt much?" she asked, fighting her vocal chords so they would not tremble.

Lightning gazed softly at her and shrugged. "I've felt worse." she replied casually and looked back at the pill. "But Dr. P was very specific that I should take one of these the day after and so long I still feel sore or have pains." she put the pill in her mouth and downed it with some water.

"Oh, so that you'll be comfortable while recovering." Vanille flashed her a small and curious smile, but it was exchanged with an expression of surprise as Lightning shook her head at her assumption.

"No, it's because when I'm in pain or whatever, the muscles around the heart are damaged. And because of the pain shooting from the damaged muscles, the body will try not to use them and compensate by using the other muscles more. And that may cause another muscle seizure since all of the muscles are supposed to be working and not just a few." she explained to the curious redhead, whom only stared at her in awe.

"Wow, you learn something new everyday." she nodded.

Lightning smirked. "Such is the life of an airhead." she shot a playful gaze at Vanille, and was very amused at the few seconds it took before her words registered.

"Hey!" Vanille glared at her angrily. But she could not really say anything since she knew herself that she was pretty much an airhead at times...

But she needed to say something, she could not let the insult pass without saying something to defend herself!

"I'm just... easily distracted!" she tried to sound stern, but the playful sparkle in Lightning's eyes caused a bubble of laughter escape her instead. When Lightning only chuckled at her retort, she needed to defend her honor. So she picked up one of the decorative cushions and swung at Lightning.

She easily dodged it though, and got a hold of Vanilles wrist in turn.

A surprised _eek_ escaped her lips as Lightning tugged at her arm. Flying forward, she had no control over what happened.

She hit something sturdy, and soon realised she was looking over Lightning's shoulder.

Strong arms wrapped around her midsection and a chin against her own shoulder told her the truth.

Lightning was holding her! Like, _hugging _her!

Butterflies rampaged through her insides as she glanced to her right and saw nothing but soft pink locks.

A few milliseconds passed by before she dared hold the girl back. A huge smile spread across her lips in the same speed as heat spread across her cheeks.

They sat there for a few moments. No one said anything.

Vanille felt her heart dancing, she was genuinely happy, a little bit confused, very surprised, but super happy!

"I appreciate you." she heard Lighting whisper. Hearing her husky yet feminine voice right next to her right ear sent chills down her spine and another part of her except her face started feeling warm.

She nodded, shocked and embarrassed. "I-I appreciate you too!" she stuttered.

Lightning chuckled, and all of Vanille's internal commotion intensified.

"You're cute when you're stuttering."

And just like that, she was walking away from her.

Vanile blinked a few times, Lightning had been right there, and then suddenly, she was walking a few feet away from her.

Dropping her arms, which she was stupidly holding out as if still holding someone, she sighed and closed her eyes in an attempt att calming her berserking heart.

If there was ever a doubt in her mind, she had her answer now.

Lightning made her feel things she had never felt before just by doing simple things and being her own blunt, honest, a bit mysterious and protecting self.

She opened her eyes. A small smile decorating her delicate features.

_I'm probably head over heels in love already..._

* * *

><p><em> Pzzt!<em>

_Don't forget to review! I love reading all of your thoughts and advise!_


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Hiya!**

Just wanted to mention that I appreciate all of your kind reviews!  
>It makes me very happy and I'm honored that you all like reading what I write so much!<p>

Thank you for staying with me! :D

**_~Disclaimer~  
><em>**_The characters in this story belongs to Square Enix, I am merely borrowing them for the lulz!_

Please enjoy _Chapter Sixteen_ of _Fatum Amor!_

* * *

><p>Serah slowly stirred the hot liquid in her cup while sluggishly eyeing the redhead on the other side of the couch. The girl had been staring at the television without actually watching the show while fiddling obnoxiously with her fingers, she had also not noticed Serah's stare for the last half an hour.<p>

Sighing, she let the tea rest and placed the cup on the living room table.

"You've been awfully quiet this morning." she said.

Vanille twitched and twirled around, after a few seconds of staring, she smiled. "What?" she giggled softly. "Sorry, I've been thinking a bit." she looked down at her hands that were now laying flat in her lap.

"So I've noticed. What's on your mind Vanille?" Serah smiled compassionately at her.

Vanille looked up and smiled back at the pinkette nervously. "I'm not ready to talk about it..." she said and hung her head.

"Okay, that's all right. I'll be here when you're ready." Serah sat back with her cup of tea, still smiling. The girls returned their eyes to the television.

_I wonder who will come forward first..._

Glancing back at the redhead again, she saw the distraught expression and red cheeks decorating her facial features.

_Vanille's about to blow any minute, it wouldn't surprise me if she was the one to blurt it out first._

Taking a sip of her tea, she let her mind wander to her older sister.

_Lightning has her meds on the other hand, they make her act on impulse and kinda disables her rational thinking. It could be a great possibility that she's the one to say something first._

Taking another sip, she smiled at herself. Who was she to dig into others love lives? Digging into others private lives was rude, and she knew it.

On the other hand, it was kind of her job as a little sister and best friend.

Glancing at the redhead again, she smiled at the dreamy expression and goofy grin spreading across the other girls face.

~( •w• )~ ~( •v• )~

Lightning opened her eyes and looked around.

She was in her bedroom, laying on her bed. Shaking her head at herself, she looked at the time. It was still morning, so at least she had not wasted the entire day in bed.

Rising from the covers, she felt a bit stiff and sore, but at least nothing pained her. Walking up to the mirror in nothing but short pants and a sports bra, she examined her bare torso. She was satisfied to see that the bruises had not grown. Neither had they shrunk, but she was not expecting so much so soon.

She let her eyes slide over the lanky version of herself that stared back at her from within the mirror.

Reaching up, she touched her cheek, which had been soft and slightly round a few weeks back. Her cheekbones were now visible and her cheeks hollow. Sliding down her throat and over her breast, she let her fingers run down the middle of her stomach. It had been toned, almost to perfection when she got ill. Her abs had been slightly visible, and she was heading in the right direction towards the ultimate fighters body before everything.

Now she just looked thin, not even a sign of her once rock hard abs.

She sighed. She did not like what she saw, she was a mere shell of her former self. But there was nothing she could do right now.

Running her fingers over her bruised ribs, she thought back to the time before her hospitalization. She had been foolish not to contact a professional as soon as she felt a loss of energy. Even more of a fool that still did not talk to a doctor when the bruises and slight muscle seizures appeared. Back then, the bruises had been painful to touch even the slightest, but now, she could gently put her hand over them and they did not hurt.

Keeping her hand there for a moment, her curiosity got the better of her.

Pushing two of her digits against her flesh, she winced and buckled when pain shot through her whole chest. "Guess they're still a bit sore..." she commented as soon as it felt safe to speak, and stood back up. She took one last long look at herself before shaking her head abruptly and turning away from the mirror.

Getting dressed was getting easier by the day. Well, at least it was until she forgot about her pills yesterday, moving around today was like moving around with a tight strap around her chest, and with a smaller one around her heart. It felt like if she made one hasty move, the straps would contract and crush her insides.

Sighing at her own imagination, she pulled her sweatshirt over her head and left the bathroom.

_I definitely need a cup of tea right now..._

~( •u• )~ ~( •u• )~

This was the third night in a row that she was unable to sleep.

Serah slept soundly, it was as if she knocked herself out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Vanille wished she was as lucky.

Her mind kept her up at night with thoughts, thoughts that always ended after a while with _I should tell her._

Frustrated, she huffed and grabbed her hair.

Why was this so hard?

Her heart felt like jumping out of her chest and she felt like yelling.

Why was it so hard to tell Light how she felt?

She felt as if her heart was at the brink of blurting it out, but every time she encouraged it to, her lips shut themselves and would not budge.

Sighing in frustration, she turned on her side and shut her eyes hard to keep herself from spilling the tears that burned on the inside.

Finally relaxing and falling asleep, her dreams were filled with the same kind of mulling that her mind was when awake.

A slight pout rested on her lips throughout the night.

~( •u• )~ ~( •u• )~

Waking up felt like she waded through a thick pool of mud. It was as if sleep did not want to release her.

Her dreams had been filled with angst, her mind had been tormenting her with dreams about shadowy creatures telling her to tell Light how she feels, but the same creatures also told her to keep it a secret.

Wading through the whispering darkness, she was thankful when she finaly was able to wake up.

Vanille slowly opened her eyes, the room was bright with the sunshine shining through the window.

Glancing over at the bed, she noticed that Serah was not beneath the covers.

She briskly sat up, what was the time?

11:13. She never slept longer than Serah did.

Making herself ready, she tied up her hair in pigtails and exited the room.

~( ^u^ )~

"There you are!" Serah smiled as her as she entered the kitchen. "I was about to come and get you, please sit." she motioned to an empty chair next to her.

"I'm sorry, I don't usually sleep this long." she said with an apologetic smile.

Sitting down, she looked at the breakfast table in front of her. She was hungry, but she did not know what she wanted to eat.

"Excuse me." she heard the husky voice of the female that sent pleasant chills down her spine. Lightning reached for the cheese next to Vanille. The redhead sat petrified as the older girl reached for yet another thing, causing her to lean in even closer. Their proximity made her tummy flutter and she could feel the blood gushing to her cheeks.

"Good morning."

Glancing at the older girl, she could feel the azure blue orbs piercing through her. Studying her expression. Vanille tried to smile naturally, but it felt awkward and weird. "Good morning!"

Lightning nodded and sat back, proceeding to make her sandwich.

Vanille released a breath she had been unaware of holding in.

Looking up at Serah, she saw the pinkette smiling at her knowingly while slowly stirring her cup of tea.

The heat in her cheeks increased and she diverted her eyes.

The giggle she heard from the younger Farron told her that Serah had seen it all, and not only that, it also told her that Serah already knew what Vanille had been trying to talk to her about these past few days.

Breakfast passed awkwardly, and Vanille escaped the kitchen as quick as socially acceptable.

Locking herself in the bathroom, she examined herself in the bathroom mirror.

_So Serah knows... I guess she figured it out.. _She sighed and rubbed her eyes._ You weren't as smooth and discreet like you though you were, Vanille..._

Running a hand down her face, she knew there was only one thing left to do, and she had to do it now. This was not something she could just ignore until it passed, she had to talk to Serah.

The younger Farron had figured it out on her own, but since she had not said anything, she had to be okay with it. Right?

Serah would say something if she had anything on her mind. Right?

Vanille furrowed her brow and looked at herself in the mirror. She had to know for sure that Serah did not mind if she ever were to gain the courage to tell Lightning.

Sucking in a deep breath, she held it for a moment. And as she slowly released it, she gathered up all the courage she could muster and acted before she had time to change her mind.

Turning around, she unlocked the door and exited the bathroom.

Trying not to think, she made her way into the kitchen were the Farron siblings still where.

Clearing her throat, she got their attention before looking at Serah. "Serah, could I speak to you in private please?" she asked and smiled carefully.

Serah looked puzzled for a moment, before visibly realizing what the girl wanted. Smiling, she nodded. "Of course Vanille!" she said and walked up to Vanille.

Turning around, the redhead initiated the most embarrassing and nervous walk to Serah's room that she had ever lived through.

What was she supposed to say?

What did she want to get out of the coming conversation?

Why did she even have to tell Serah anything?

Question after question flew through her mind, and with every question, her heart started beating harder and faster.

Finally making it to the younger Farron's door, she entered the room and sat down on the pinkette's bed. Waiting for Serah to join her, she still had not made up her mind when the Farron sat down next to her.

Serah studied her in silence for a moment, waiting for Vanille to initiate the conversation and tell her what she had on her mind.

But as the seconds ticked by, she realized that Vanille was far to stressed and nervous to start anything on her own.

"So... what would you like to talk about?" she smiled, hoping that this would make it easier on the struggling girl.

Vanille glanced up at her friend. Her question suggested that they could talk about whatever, but Vanille wanted this off her chest.

"Well..." she started, but she did not know how to continue. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to talk. It did not matter if it came out weird, Serah was a clever girl and would probably understand her anyway.

"I noticed this morning, you looked at me all funny..." she trailed off. Embarrassment got the better of her.

Serah smiled knowingly down at her.

"Just like that!" Vanille squeaked and hung her head, cheeks burning. "Why?"

When the pinkette did not respond directly, Vanille peeked up at her.

She girl had a warm smile on her face that made Vanille feel better.

"Because I can see it on you." she said.

Vanille coughed. "Can se what on me?" her voice cracked.

Serah giggled. "You know what I'm talking about." she said and crossed her arms. An action that caused her to resemble her older sibling a whole lot.

Vanille sighed.

Serah's smile widened as she decided on prying until Vanille admitted it. She could see that the girl was on the brink of coming clean. "How does it make you feel?" she asked in a soft voice, not wanting to push the girl in the wrong direction.

Vanille looked up, puzzled. "How does what make me feel?"

Serah shook her head. "How does it feel when you're in the same room, or close to her?" she tried again.

Vanille's already red cheeks turned a shade darker.

Serah waited patiently for Vanille's reply. Her patience paid off after almost a minute of silence.

"I get nervous... and I can't focus..." her voice was barely audible, but Serah had no trouble hearing her. "And my tummy feels like it's crawling with anticipation or something, I just can't describe it better than that.." she peeked up at the pinkette.

Serah looked happy, which made Vanille relax just a little bit more.

"I know exacly how you feel Vanille." she spoke softly. Vanille perked up at her comment.

"Really?" a hesitant smile made its way across her still blushing face.

"I do. That sounds about the same with the description that I'd give if someone asked me how I felt around Snow for the first few weeks of meeting him."

Vanille stared in awe at Serah. The pinkette chuckled lightly and reached her hand out, put the tip of her digits against Vanille's chin, and pushed upwards to close her mouth.

Vanille giggled at this, not realizing she had been staring with her mouth open.

"What I'm saying is,-" Serah leaned in. "that it's a wonderful thing, and you should not waste it." she smiled, and her smile together with her encouraging words made Vanille smile as well.

_I'm sorry Lightning, I know you had a hard time with that other girl, but I promise you that Vanille would never do anything to hurt you._

Serah could not help feeling a litte guilty for setting things up. Lightning had promised herself to never date again, but Serah had seen the way her older sibling looked at the redhead. Helping them a little bit would not hurt, right?

Serah was pulled from her mulling by Vanille's frown.

"What?" she asked with a hint of worry present in her voice.

Vanille looked her in the eye nervously. "I can't tell her."

Serah released a relieved breath. "You got me worried there. Of course you can." she chuckled.

Vanille shook her head briskly. "No, you don't understand! I have tried, I have tried telling her for days! But it's just no use. I chicken out, I just stay silent or leave..." she hung her head in defeat.

She was pathetic, and she knew it. She was not deserving of Lightnings affection, she was far to weak. Lightning deserved someone strong and independent, not someone weak and needy like herself.

Her internal bashing was interrupted by a soft hand on her shoulder.

Looking up, her eyes met with the gentle, blue eyes of her best friend.

"Stop, I can see it on you that you're punishing yourself." she said and a small smile reappeared on her lips. "You know, when I didn't have the courage to tell Snow, I felt miserable." softly squeezing Vanille's shoulder, she released her before continuing. "So I know what may be running through your mind right now. When I was in your seat, I felt like Snow deserved someone who at least had the bravery to tell him she liked him."

Smiling and shaking her head, she chuckled softy.

Vanille stared at her. "So... who told the other?"

"Well I did of course. I tried hinting it to him, but he just wouldn't get it." she chuckled. "I practically had to flag him down."

Vanille chuckled.

"Honestly..." Serah's eyebrows tilted upwards as she looked back at Vanille again. "I think you have to do the same with Light, she's not to 'in tune' with others emotions and such..." she sighed.

Vanille frowned. "I figured as much.." she said. "When I realized that I kinda liked her, I was hoping she would notice something and come to me..." she hung her head again and sighed.

Serah chuckled. "I can almost guarantee that she's totally oblivious of your feelings..."

Vanille chuckled. "Ahh shoot me..."

Sharing a sad sigh, they both sat in comfortable silence as they mulled on their conversation.

~( •_• )~

Lightning sat in the couch with her feet pulled up to her chest. Today, her chest had not felt too sore, so she skipped the painkillers.

Instead, she had decided on taking it easy and watch some television to keep her heart rate even.

However, when she zapped to her favorite channel, she discovered a fighters tournament that she had totally missed out upon.

Forgetting about her plan of holding an even heart rate, she had placed the remote on the table and not let the screen out of her sight once. This was too good to miss out on.

Not only was it local, but it was a tournament with youth, which meant that she could very well se her own club-mates in the competition.

The possibility sent waves of anticipation through her body and her heart thundered.

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips every time the fighter she had picked as her temporary favorite landed a clean hit or managed to throw his or her opponent. Throwing someone in a match was extremely difficult and took great skill. She had managed to throw guys around in a couple of spars, and had honestly scored some sweet points in local, smaller matches by throwing. But it was difficult even for her, it took planning and great execution of skillful moves before one could reach in and manage to tug and throw the opponent.

The green fighter on the screen landed a clean right and his opponent toppled over and stopped moving. Adrenalin rushed through her body and made her fingers twitch. She wanted to fight, she missed it so bad and her body needed it.

Frowning, she calmed her nerves. 'Just a bit more. Starting to early will only cause trouble.'

Sighing, she sat back to watch the fights in a calm manner.

That right there, on the screen, is what she wanted. She wanted her future to involve fighting, in one way or another. Fighting and working her body to its limits, is what she lived for.

Her frown deepened. She really did not want to become a soldier. The tight schedule and tough discipline she could live with and would probably even enjoy it, but she did not want to risk her life daily, she wanted to be able to tell the people around her that she would be back tomorrow.

As a soldier, you could never say that for certain.

Her father had always said that_ 'the day I can say "I'll see you tomorrow", that is the day I'll walk in diapers again'_, followed by a heartily laugh.

Lightning did not want that life.

Shaking her head, she abandoned her thoughts and focused on the fights again.

~( •_• )~~ (•u• )~

That evening, the mood was rather low in the Farron apartment.

Serah knew why Vanille remained rather silent, but the reason behind Lightning's silence had occupied her mind for the past twenty minutes.

She glanced from the pot she was preheating, at her sister who were in the process of chopping vegetables.

She had a slight scowl preset on her forehead, that was the only evidence that something was up. Most would have overlooked the small sign, but Serah had lived her life beside this girl and knew all the small signs that told her to either stay out of trouble or that Lightning needed someone to talk to. This scowl was hard to decipher, but she guessed that giving the girl some time to think was for the best.

She glanced at her redheaded friend. She was sitting at the kitchen table and stirred a small bowl of cream with chopped herbs. With a pout and furrowed brows, her mindset was far more obvious in her appearance than Lightning's.

Wanting to get out of this tense atmosphere, she cleared her throat and took a step back from the stove. "I'll be right back." she sighed and left the kitchen.

Both girls looked after her as she left.

Their eyes met when Serah was no longer visible.

Holding it for a second, Vanille was the first to divert her gaze as she grew far to nervous to maintain eye contact.

Lightning however, kept her gaze on the younger girl. "What has gotten you so gloomy?" she asked.

Vanille snapped back up. "What?"

Meeting eyes with the older girl, she could feel her cheeks heating up instantly.

Lightning turned around to face her and leaned on the counter. "I asked you; what have gotten you so gloomy?" she repeated, and softly gazed on the redhead.

Vanille was touched that she asked, the small proof that the older girl actually cared was enough to send shivers down her spine and caused her heart to tremble. "I-I'm fine." she blurted out. The way Lightning was standing there, relaxed with her hands on the counter behind her for support, made her look absolutely stunning, according to Vanille. She could not stop looking her over even though she knew the older Farron could very well see her staring.

Locking eyes with the Farron again, she saw the small wrinkle of confusion present on her forehead.

Diverting her gaze to the table, she started stirring the cream again. "I didn't sleep very well last night." she replied.

The older girl nodded. "Okay."

Silence surrounded them. Lightning slowly turned back to her vegetables and Vanille kept stirring her bowl.

_Should I tell her now?_

Vanille peeked at the Farron through the corner of her eye.

_How would she react if I told her?_

She bit her lip. Her mind had played out the scenario several times, with different outcomes.

_I can't, what if she doesn't like me in that way and hates me or something?_

She felt a lump form in her throat. Swallowing hard, she quickly turned back to what she was doing, she prayed that whenever she got the courage to tell Lightning about her feelings, Lightning would at least remain her friend.

,( ó~ò ),

Lightning knew something was up with the redhead. She could feel it.

And it was not just a bad night, it was something else. Something she did not want to talk about.

So Lightning would not try to talk about it.

She did not like listening to people's problems. When people came to her and wanted to talk about their problems, she would get extremely bothered.

Except if the one needing to talk was Serah. Lightning always had time for Serah.

So why did the troubled teen at the table bother her so much more? Why did it bother her that she did not know what was up with the redhead?

Why did she feel this need of asking her what was wrong despite the fact that she usually never cared about others troubles?

Serah came back into the room with a small smile on her lips. It was the same smile that she always had after speaking with the _Doofus_.

Lightning let the knife rest and studied her for a moment.

Her eyes were shining, she was smiling and she was even humming a happy tune as she moved about in the kitchen with a new spring to her step.

Is that what love looks like when it hits the spot?

She knew now that her own relationship had been destructive from the start, but she did not understand it back then, she thought that was the way love was meant to be.

Her eyes fell on the redhead right behind Serah.

She was sitting with her elbow plopped on the table and her cheek against the palm of her hand for support. You could clearly see it on her that her mood had hit rock bottom as she pouted her lip and poked the cream in the bowl in front of her with the whisk.

Lightning knew why she wanted to smile at the sight. She knew that she probably liked the girl in a special way, and to be honest, the sight was absolutely adorable.

However, the fact that she probably liked her only meant that her heart was open and vulnerable towards the redhead. And she did not like that. It only meant that the redhead could easily rip her apart just like that other woman had done.

Her gaze returned to her task on the cutting board in front of her.

Thinking about her previous partner, she frowned. _I'll never forget you. And for all the wrong reasons._

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<br>Don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts!  
>Constructive criticism and such is very much appreciated! <em>

_Thank you for reading! ^^_


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Hiya!**

There's been a while since I last updated here.. as usuall...

There's been a lot going on, I've had a lot of stuff to do in the apartment and there's been quite a lot of camps with the martial arts gym lately.  
>However, I have found the time to write, and the next update from this one might not be to far away! :)<p>

I'm sorry you all have to wait so much... I'm glad you're all so pacient with me!

Thank you!

**_Disclaimer:_**

**_I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, they are all belong to Square Enix. I am merely borrowing them for teh lulz!_**

Please enjoy _Chapter Seventeen_ of _Fatum Amor!_

* * *

><p>Serah had watched their interactions for the last couple of days with despair.<p>

Since Vanille had told her how she felt, she had seen it much clearer than before.

Vanille's desperation of telling the older teen about her affection was more than obvious in her behavior. Serah had even started to wonder if Lightning was blind, since she missed all the obvious, but unintentional, signs that Vanille left.

On the other hand, Lightning had been way more tense. Serah could see it and sense it from her sister that something was of the matter, particularly around the redhead.

She had watched them day in and day out, and she has had enough.

Lightning was at the hospital with Snow for a routine check up, and even though the fact that they had started to get along since the first doctor's appointment made her very happy, she was still upset about the whole situation with the girls living in her home. So Serah had made up her mind to confront the other girl in this endless cycle.

She found the girl in the living room, sipping on a cup of tea while watching the music channels news.

Not wasting any time, Serah marched up behind the sofa were the redhead was currently sitting.

"Vanille." she called out, in a more stern than necessary tone.

Vanille's heart skipped a beat and she jumped about a feet in the air. Almost dropping the cup of hot liquid in her lap, she managed to rescue it with frantic fumbling.

Turning around with a hand over her heart, she panted and looked at Serah with the same kind of eyes that a punished puppy would have. "What was that for?" she whined.

Serah giggled, and her giggle only increased as Vanille glared at her.

"I'm sorry Vanille, but you reaction, need I say more?"

Vanille kept glaring as a pout formed on her lips and her cheeks colored in embarrassment. But she knew that she would have laughed too if it was not her.

"Anyway." Serah finally calmed down some. "I wanted to have a talk with you about the situation you're in."

Her face got serious, which made Vanille a bit nervous. "What situation?"

"The situation where you're in love with my sister but you obviously can't tell her." Serah deadpanned.

Vanille blushed. "Oh, that situation..."

"Yes. I told you that she's totally oblivious to hints. You need to tell her straight up." she sighed. "I'm guessing you haven't mustered the courage yet?"

Vanille lowered her gaze and frowned, slowly shaking her head no.

Serah sighed. "So what would it take for you to be brave enough?" she asked, hoping that she could help her desperate friend at least a bit.

Vanille drew a heavy breath. Releasing it slowly, she shook her head. "I don't know..." she mumbled. Her shoulders hung low in defeat. "I have no Idea how I'm supposed to tell her, I don't even know if she likes me back..."

Keeping her eyes on the ground, she missed seeing the smile on her friends lips.

Serah had seen the way her sister acted around the redhead, she had seen the way her eyes lingered a few milliseconds too long to be simply friendly.

When looking at Lightning, one could say that she was very much like a cat.

Walking with her head and tail high and chin slightly upward.

But if her confidence wavered, you could see her ears and tail fall and her back arch in uncertainty.

Figuratively speaking.

Serah shook her head at herself and her sometimes silly thoughts.

But there was no other way to explain the way Lightning's eyes went soft as soon as she looked at the redhead.

Her cool azure blue's was not ordinarily harsh, but they were firm and confident.

But as soon as she laid eyes on Vanille, she looked like a kitten who had nibbled its mothers ear a bit too hard and had earned a hiss in turn.

She looked confused and lost.

Much as Vanille looked when looking at Lightning, only you could see the longing in her eyes.

Zoning back to the present, Serah laid eyes on her close friend. It was not her place to tell Vanille how Lightning felt. She deserved to hear it from Lightning alone.

Besides, there was a small possibility that she had interpreted Lightning the wrong way.

"Take the time you need Vanille, just don't let it pass. You'll feel better when it's off your chest no matter the answer."

Vanille smiled up at Serah with an uncertain look in her eye.

"I promise 'Nille, you have nothing to be afraid of. Light won't think less of you even if she happens to not like you back. She'll most definitely respect you. She might be oblivious to others feelings, but she's not cruel." Serah smiled at the relieved and genuinely happy expression that formed on Vanille's features.

"Thank you Serah, I'll keep that in mind and try again whenever." she nodded to herself.

"Good! I wish you the best of luck." Serah winked and sent Vanille a thumbs up which made the redhead giggle, before she repeated the gesture.

Suddenly, as on cue, the door to the apartment swooshed open and excited voices could be heard entering the hallway.

Well, Snow's excited voice could be heard entering the hallway...

Serah sighed with a small smile on her lips at her boyfriend as his confident, booming laugh filled their apartment.

Her sister and Snow soon joined them in the living room. Both of them looked happy, though Snow's happiness was by far more obvious than Lightning's. Plastered on Snow's face was his characteristic grin, while Lightning simply smirked as she approached the two girls.

"Guess what!" Snow barked before anyone had a chance of saying anything. Serah and Lightning sighed in unison and Vanille giggled.

"The Doc gave Light the OK for some light exercise!" Snow exclaimed proudly.

Lightning shook her head. "Tsk. She said that a calm walk around the block will do me good as long as I'm taking it really easy." she crossed her arms. "What use is there going out at all if I can't run." she mumbled. Everyone chuckled at her remark, looking at them all in confusion, Lightning blinked. "What?"

"Nothing Light, just that it's so typical you." Serah said and walked up to her sister and put her head on her shoulder, hugging her lightly with one arm. "I think it'll be good for you." she smiled up at her sister, who nodded.

( ^u^ )

That night, Snow had stayed for dinner. Serah had invited him since Lightning had started accepting him now. She had honestly expected a bit of a ruckus, but Lightning did not even heave a sigh at him. Not even _once_.

Serah was honestly surprised to see this. Before their '_friendship_' began, Lightning would sigh whenever he said something less smart. Snow was not the thinking type, and Serah knew that. He sometimes came up with the most crazed explanations for things as jokes, but Lightning usually did not have enough patience for silly things like that.

However, since they started talking, she seemed to tolerate his quirkiness a lot more than before.

And that made her happy.

Everyone had enjoyed themselves so much the whole evening, so much that no one noticed that the redhead had grown more quiet than usual.

Vanille did not mind. She felt like she needed the time to think. Lightning had got the 'OK' on walks, now was her chance to have some alone time with her without it being all awkward and suspicious. Well, Serah would know why Vanille asked Lightning if she wanted to go for a walk with her, but at least Lightning would not think of it as weird.

She felt a light, happy feeling soar through her chest as her heart hammered. If they went for a walk together, anything could happen. Maybe she even mustered the courage to tell Lightning?

Or the setting would be perfect for her to gently sneak her hand into hers as they walked through the lantern lit streets? And what could transpire after that?

She could feel her cheeks burn as her mind spun around with different ideas of what could become reality.

"Vanille?"

Her friends gentle voice pulled her from her thinking, Serah was smiling at her. "Have you finished?"

It took a few moments for Vanille to realize that Serah was talking about her plate. She quickly nodded and passed her the plate over to the strawberry blonde next to her.

( •.• )

"Vanille?"

The gentle voice called her from her slumber. The day had passed quickly. After dinner, they had stayed seated at the table for quite some time, talking. While Serah and Snow had offered to clean up, Vanille had gone into the living room and stayed in the sofa.

She lifted her head from the fabric and looked towards the voice.

It was Lightning. Standing a few feet away from her. She was turned towards her, but her eyes rested elsewhere.

"Yes?" she replied when she realized that the other girl was waiting.

Lightning straightened her back and met with Vanille's gentle and slightly foggy gaze. The azure blues that made Vanille's insides tingle did not stay connected with her forest greens however, since Lightning's eyes soon fell to the floor. A small scowl appeared on her forehead.

Vanille was bemused, what was the matter with Lightning? She almost seemed unsure, or shy.

She did not finish her thought before Lightning straightened her back once more and fixated her eyes upon hers with a strong gaze.

"I was wondering if you would join me on a walk? I would ask someone else since you where sleeping, had I not wished for a calmer climate..." she glanced over her shoulder. Vanille could hear Serah and Snow bicker playfully and laugh together. She understood what the older girl meant with a calmer climate.

But when Lightning's words finally sunk in, Vanille almost gasped aloud. _Lightning wants to take a walk with me - Vanille!_

She smiled largely and nodded once. "I'd love to join you on your walk!"

Lightning seemed relieved, and a small appreciative smile appeared on her lips. "Thanks."

Getting up from the couch, the redhead joyfully followed the Farron with a new bounce in her step. Her former sleepiness forgotten.

( •u• )

The sun was drawing closer to the horizon. The sky was already a dark hue in the opposite direction. The sky broke beautifully into lots of wonderful colors, from midnight blue in the far off distance, to purple and pink and finally a warm orange closest to the sun.

Vanille closed her eyes and smiled, taking a deep breath she breathed in the scents of the waves that slowly crawled across the sand and basked in the last bit of warmth the sun had to offer.

Opening her eyes again, she looked to her left to check on Lightning.

Lightning jumped when she looked and her and quickly looked away, despite the orange light that the sun provided, Vanille could still see the older girls cheekbones change color.

She chuckled. "It's a nice evening."

She spoke softly, but the walk had been so quiet and comfortable that her voice seemed more like a shout. She covered her mouth and giggled. "Jeez, I didn't mean to shout, I'm sorry." she whispered.

The older girl looked at her and nodded, smiling.

There was something different about her smile this evening. And that something made Vanille's heart thump and breath catch in her throat. She quickly looked down on the ground in front of her and prayed that her cheeks remained in their usual hue.

"You're right though." she heard the older girl say. "It is a nice evening."

Peeking at her companion, she was awestruck my the beauty that had chosen to invite her to spend time with her.

The sun showered Lightnings soft features in golden light that reflected in her eyes and in her spiky hair. Creating a glow that no mortal could possess. Vanille was convinced that the beauty in the girl beside her had to be over worldly.

Searching for something to say, she swallowed and forced her facial features into a more relaxed expression. "You've made your hair. Are you feeling better?"

Lightning smirked. "So you noticed huh?" she sighed. "I am, actually. I haven't felt this good in quite some time." she rolled her shoulders for emphasis. "My energy levels are still not even close to what they used to be, but at least I'm making progress in the right direction." she flashed Vanille another heart tightening smile before looking ahead of them. Vanille could feel the goofy grin that spread across her lips, it did no matter to her though, Lightning was looking the other way.

And then it hit her.

What she had been thinking about during dinner.

She had been daydreaming about confessing to Lightning while on a romantic stroll, _just like this!_

This was the _perfect_ opportunity!

Feeling that everything felt right about the situation, she breathed in deeply and slowly released it through her partially parted lips.

"Lightning?"

The girl met her eyes with a soft gaze that made Vanille's heart thunder in her chest.

"There's-... there's something I have been meaning to talk to you about.." she mumbled and stopped on the spot, she was so nervous that she stuttered, unable to control her voice. She sighed in frustration and embarrassment when Lightning smirked at her and did nothing but patiently wait for her to continue.

This was her chance, she had her undivided attention right now. Lightning's eyes pierced deep into hers, searching curiously for the reason behind the redhead's sudden stop.

"Well I- _eh_..." she trailed off and bit the inside of her cheek. Her nerves got the better of her. Her fists was balled up at her sides, her lips fixed in a tense frown and her eyes was watering. "I-... y'know..." she tried. Her knees was trembling now, she could not take the pressure much longer!

"Light, I kinda... well I-"

"_Lightning Farron_?"

The air in Vanille's lunges left her body. She had been _so_ close, and this happens. Just her luck!

The warm light in Lightning's eyes from mere moments ago was completely gone. Her vibrant blue eyes had turned cold. _Empty_, like a vast, frozen ocean.

"Oh my, it is actually you! Lightning Farron, what a surprise!"

Looking over Lightning's shoulder Vanille saw the woman who had ruined her perfect moment and killed the light in Lightning's eyes.

The busty woman neatly tucked her long bangs behind her ear and pushed her glasses up her nose.

Lightning shuddered, drawing Vanille's gaze to her. Her face was dark, and when her lips parted, her teeth was gritted like a cornered wolf.

"_Jihl Nabaat_."

The blonde woman approached them with confident steppes. A young male following her at her heels.

"My my, Lightning, it's been so long!" she exclaimed and pursed her lips.

Vanille glanced between Light and the blonde woman that Lightning had called Jihl. She did not know this woman, but she could tell that Lightning did. Slowly, Lightning turned around. Facing the other woman, she straightened her back and crossed her arms. "Not long enough." she retorted. Vanille jumped, she totally unprepared for this.

But Jihl seemed unfazed by Lightning's spite. She smirked and eyed both of them over the rim of her fashionable glasses. Her eyes stayed a few more seconds on Vanille, taking in her appearance. Vanille felt uncomfortable under this Jihl's gaze. Their eyes met, and a knowing smirk spread across Jihls full lips.

The blonde kept looking into her eyes until Lightning stepped in front of Vanille, drawing both of their eyes back to herself.

"Stop. You don't have anything to do with her. - And quite frankly, I don't know what you're even doing in Bodhum." Lightning was tense, Vanille could see the muscles in her template tense as she bit down hard. Vanille wanted to calm her down, but she was too unsure of what the knowing smirk Jihl had sent her earlier meant.

"You don't have the right to talk o her like that!" the short male next to Jihl suddenly spoke. Lightning sent him a warning gaze, he staggered, but after glancing over at Jihl he stepped up to Lightning and straightened his back. "I don't know who you are, but you don't have the right to talk to her like that!" it was apparent that he was trying to be braver than he actually was. His voice was on the brink of cracking every now and then due to his nerves.

Lightning sighed and Jihl chuckled.

"She's my _ex_." both women said simultaneously.

Vanille's heart sunk. She eyed Jihl.

Her lips where full, her bosom was more than a hand full each, her waist and hips had a nice shape to them. She was a ten, and Vanille felt like she was nowhere close to that with her thin, almost childish features, according to herself. How could she ever have a shot with Light if she had _that_ to compete with?

The boy seemed as shocked as Vanille felt. He seemed uncertain whether or not to keep standing up to Lightning, who simply stood there, staring at him. Her gritted his teeth and straightened once more.

"So what's with that? It still gives you no right to be rude towards her!" he was trembling under Lightning's gaze, but he fought hard to hide it.

Lightning closed her eyes and sighed. "You always end up with the most pathetic bastards, Jihl." she growled and shot a piercing glance at the blonde.

Jihl let out a loud laughter, making both Vanille and the boy twitch.

"It seems like you are neglecting the fact that you where once my lover, hmm?" she smiled, which was supposedly meant to look sweet, but there was a certain tint in her eyes that caused both her low chuckle and smile to become malicious to Vanille. She shuddered, sure Jihl was good looking, but a personality like that? What brought her and Lightning together?

"I didn't neglect that..." Lightning murmured. She was visibly becomming more annoyed with the young man that was still standing in her face.

Jihl smirked, pushing up her glasses from the tip of her nose, he walked closer to Lightning, gently pushing the boy to the side, she spoke. "Don't be silly Light, we both know you where one of the better ones." her smirk broke in to a smile as she ran her finger along Lightning's jawline. Lightning turned her head away but Jihl pas persistent. She guided Lightning by the chin until she reluctantly glared back into her eyes. "Ah." she said, still with her crooked smile on her face. "You really are angry with me?" she pursed her lips and tilted her brow. "And here I have been thinking about you all along." she chuckled and inched closer.

A chill ran up Vanille's spine with the way Jihl was looking back forth between Lightning's eyes and lips.

Jihl sighed. "We both know that you miss me too." she whispered and leaned in.

Vanille's heart skipped a beat and her body ran cold.

Jihl pressed her full lips against Lightning's. Why was not Lightning pulling away? Why was she just standing there receiving it?

Vanille felt a lump form in her throat as Jihl kept her mouth on top of Lightning's. She could see out of the corner of her eye that the boy who had desperately defended her before was standing flabbergasted a few steppes away.

Jihl pushed her body against the Farron and tried to deepen the one-way kiss. Vanille wanted to leave this spectacle, but she could not find it within her to move away. It was as if her body and mind forced her to watch.

Lightning had ha enough, unfolding her arms between herself and the blond that was forcing herself onto her, she put her hands on the barrow shoulders of Jihl and pushed her away.

A flash of surprise glimmered in Jihl's eyes, but she soon regained her composure. "Can't handle it, can you?" she said with a sly smirk.

Lightning huffed. "You're awful. And I've had enough of you." she said with such spite that even Jihl fell quiet. All eyes where upon Lightning when she released Jihl's shoulders. "I want nothing to do with you and your selfish intentions. And _you_-" she looked at the boy Jihl had brought with her. "-_you_ should follow my example, she's nothing but trouble." she said and glared one last time at Jihl before turning around and looked at Vanille, finding that she was just standing there silently staring at the whole situation. she gently took the redheaded girl's hand in hers and started walking back the way they came.

Leaving Jihl and the unknown boy to digest what had just transpired.

When Vanille zoned back to the present, she was being gently lead through the lantern lit streets of Bodhum by Lightning.

It took additionally a few seconds for her to realize that her fingers was intertwined with Lightning's.

Her heart jumped up to her throat. Trailing along the hand and arm that held hers, she saw that Lightning had her gaze fixed on the ground. Her shoulders hung low and he wore a blank expression on her face.

Vanille wanted to say something, to cheer the girl up and make everything okay, but she could not. Not only because she did not know what to say, but mostly because she herself was not in the best mood.

Seeing this Jihl person force herself onto Lightning like that had killed her mood completely.

Everything had been so perfect, she was on the brink of revealing her feelings for the older girl, but this Jihl ruined it. He had only met this person a few minutes, and she was already her least favorite person of her life.

She pouted angrily. Stupid Jihl and her stupid boyfriend ruining her perfect moment with their stupid timing.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." she heard Lightning mumble. Her voice stopped Vanille's trail of thoughts and brought her attention back to the present. "She's a part of my life that I'd rather forget..." she added under her breath. She did not lift her eyes from the ground when she sighed.

"It's okay." Vanille responded without thinking. Finding that it actually was okay, Lightning was talking to her and suddenly everything felt okay. "We can't always help that the past comes back to haunt us." she said softly. At least Lightning was talking to her, which meant that she did not have to worry about Lightning shutting her out.

The pinkette scoffed. "True." she sighed and straightened her back. Glancing at Vanille she smirked, the smile never reached her eyes but she knew that Lighting did so because she wanted her to know that she was going to be okay.

Vanille smiled back and gently squeezed the Farron's hand that rested in hers. They continued their walk for a few more seconds before Lightning squeezed back, making Vanille's heart pound.

Sure, she had been hurt by watching that girl Jihl kiss the girl she loved, but that did not matter. Vanille was the one that kept her in the end, and that is what mattered.

She smiled to herself and watched the pink spikes of her secret crush bob in the moonlight as they made their way back to the Farron's apartment.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

_Don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts!_

_Thank you for reading!_


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Hiya!**

Gosh has it been that long since I posted?

I feel like you all deserve an apology. I admit that I have been lazy, but life has not been too kind for me either, haha.

No matter, I promise to be quicker next time around. Anyway, here I am and with a new chapter that I hope that you all will enjoy!

_**Disclaimer!:  
><strong>__I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, I am simply borrowing them for the lulz.__**  
><strong>_

Please, enjoy _Chapter Eighteen_ of _Fatum Amor_!

* * *

><p>Serah was really worried by now.<p>

She had heard from Vanille after her and Lightning's walk together that they had met Jihl Nabaat. Which was a terrible thing on its own, but the fact that Jihl had kissed Lightning was by far the worst thing that could occur. Serah was furious at the blonde, for both Lightning and Vanille's sake.

At first it seemed natural that Lightning would hide away and deal with it like she usually did when something upset her, but hiding for three days without talking to someone, answering ones phone or text messages was not like Lightning.

She would usually reply a to her texts when she worried, but now she had ignored Serah's worried texts for three whole days. Besides that, she had barely shown herself outside of the room at all, except the times she darted between the kitchen or bathroom and her bedroom. Serah cursed at her stealth skills, she did not notice her sisters actions until she had already escaped back into her room.

"I'm going to talk to her." she said for approximately the hundredth time today.

Vanille sighed. "You know she won't reply, I tried earlier..." she said and let her eyes fall to the floor. She felt for the Farron, having someone who obviously hurt you in some way just show up and do what she did, of course she would need some time to think things through.

But she was also worried, she could understand if she would like to be alone for a couple of hours, but a couple of days? This was beginning to get out of hand in her opinion.

"I know, but I have to try." Serah mumbled as she got up and made off towards her older sisters bedroom.

...

xxXxx

...

She did not really feel anything anymore. The past few days had run by in a blur. She did not remember much from them except fits of rage between the periods of apathy. She reached up and ran her hand over her closed eyes. She was tired even though she had slept for most of the time since she locked the door. having no idea how long she had been alone on her room, she glanced up at the window. She could only guess that it had been a day or two thanks to the light that peeked through her curtains.

She sighed.

A knock on the door called for her attention, she did not really want to answer, because she did not want to talk about it. She knew Serah would try to push her, and that Vanille would want to know.

"Light? Are you okay?"

Her sisters question caused a cold surge through her body. Of course she was not okay, she had met up with the girl she had loved passionately, that she had invested precious time and emotion into and in the end got nothing in return.

The girl she had blindly followed for little over six months that she had tried to forget since the faithful day she had been abandoned by her so called girlfriend.

Worst part was that no matter how much she tried to hate the blonde, how much she tried to convince herself that she was little but a heartless monster, aiming to rip your very soul out of you body - her heart still fluttered at her touch.

She was ashamed of herself. She was ashamed because she had been unable to prevent her heart from leaping when Jihl came close and then _thunder_ when their lips met.

She heard Serah release a half frustrated - half sad - sign before footsteps announced her departure. Hot tears made their way down her cheeks. She did not feel deserving of the comfort that Serah would offer her if she let her in. If she was not strong enough to do what was right for her own good, to control her emotions, she truly deserved no comfort. Besides, she did not need their pity.

She willed herself to stop the tears from falling, desperately trying to will herself back into apathy because it hurt less, but they kept running down her now red and slightly puffy cheeks.

She sat up and balled her hands into tight fists, roughly banging her covers over and over, she kept going until the frustration in her body had been released and she had spent her pent up energy. Not being able to lift her hands anymore, she roughly fell back into her covers.

Right now, she could truly say that she hated herself. She was stupid, and she knew it.

Turning to her side, she closed her eyes and forced herself into a dream filled sleep.

...

xxXxx

...

Serah and Vanille had watched Lightning's door closely, but still managed to miss the older Farron sister every time she exited her room. Her ninja-like skills where a curse in this case. But they both had to give it to her, without trainging and without actually trying, she had avoided being noticed all together.

They where seated in the kitchen, eating their breakfast on the fourth day since the encounter with Jihl, when a click drew their attention towards the hallway.

"She's out!" Serah gasped when she saw her older sister make her way towards the bathroom. She quickly got to her feet, but was interrupted by a hand on her wrist. Looking back, Vanille stared up at her pleadingly. "Serah, I know you've been desperately wanting to talk to her, but I think she needs time. Please sit back down."

Serah hesitated for a moment, then looked back over the hallway. When listening closely, she could hear the shower starting. She sighed and sat back down, nodding at Vanille. "I guess you're right." she mumbled. "She'll approach us when she's ready I guess." she added and nodded to herself before continuing on her breakfast.

A while after, Serah walked up to Lightning's door. Noticing that it was unlocked, she knocked twice before opening the door just a little bit. Lightning was seated on the bed with a sports magazine in front of her. She lazily eyed the door when Serah peeked in.

"May I come in please?" she said. Lightning nodded and Serah came in and softly closed the door behind herself. Lightning kept flipping pages in her magazine without actually reading anything.

She was wearing a blank expression that Serah recognized, and it broke her heart to see her like this.

"I know you won't answer me if I ask you how you're doing." she said and inched closer to her sister. "But I want you to know that I'll be here when you need me." she reached out and softly stroke Lightning over her damp hair. Lightning's jaw was tight, Serah bent down and kissed her beloved sister on the template before turning towards the door.

"Thank you." she heard her sister mumble behind her. She looked back with a smile. "Anytime Lightning." she said and left the room.

Lightning watched her go. Staring at the closed door, she felt herself shudder. "I don't need to talk, I don't deserve your comfort..." she murmured and went back to flipping pages.

...

xxXxx

...

"She's still quiet about it.." Serah groaned in frustration as she rubbed her templates. "Something is eating at her, and she's choosing to be silent instead of talking!" she threw her hands up in the air. Sighing, she leaned back in her chair. She looked to Vanille who only nodded.

And that's when it struck her, Vanille could try and talk to her. She liked Vanille and would not want to be evasive when she asked her something.

"'Nille~?" she said with a sly smile. Vanille looked up from the book she was reading with a curious expression. "Maybe you should try and talk to Lightning?"

Vanille's cheeks immediately turned pink. "Me? Why? Why would she talk to me if she won't talk to you?" she stuttered.

Serah chuckled. "Just trust me. Please go and see if you can at least cheer her up?" she said and put her hands together under her chin. "Pretty please?" she smiled pleadingly at her friend.

Vanille sighed and got up.

"Thank you Vanille!" Serah flashed her a bright, appreciative smile as she walked past, cursing Serah for making her do things by being irresistibly nice.

She stopped in front of Lightning's door. Opening the door, she peeked in. Lightning was staring at her from the bed.

"Hi Light." Vanille smiled nervously. "May I come in for a while?"

Lightning stared at her for a few seconds before nodding and looking back into her magazine.

Vanille nodded and stepped inside.

She slowly walked to the center of the room, searching for something to say.

"I'm guessing you know why I'm here?" she said after a few moments of silence.

Lightning closed her magazine and put it in her lap. "You're here because Serah wants you to ask me how I'm doing." she said and looked up at Vanille. The redhead blushed and looked down.

"Yeah, something like that..." he mumbled. Peeking up at Lightning, she saw the small gentle smile she wore, causing her to smile back.

Lightning looked down upon her hands in her lap. "I don't feel like talking about it though." she was folding the edge of her magazine's front page back and forth between her fingers. "As I said, she's a part of my life that I rather forget." she looked up then. Since the fingers folding the paper stopped, Vanille who had been mesmerized looked back up. Meeting with the gentle gaze of Lightning, she nodded.

"I know you don't want to talk about it." she said and took a step forward. "Actually, I was hoping I could cheer you up more so than talk with you about what happened." she smiled gently. Lightning simply stared at her, so she was not here to push her into talking? She was actually here just to hang out?

Lightning did not know what to say, most people would have wanted to talk about what happened, but apparently not Vanille.

A surge of affection rose within her and she could feel how her body grew light as she kept staring into the deep greens that where Vanille's vibrant eyes.

This redhead had certainly grown on her. From being her sisters friend, to becoming her own, and now surpassing even Jihl in how she made her feel. The blonde never gave her butterflies in the stomach, not even in the beginning.

Lightning diverted her eyes from the redhead and cursed at herself. Her cheeks felt like they could catch fire any minute and her breathing was shallow. Her hands even trembled. She wished that she knew what she wanted from the girl in front of her. One part of her wanted to just jump her, hold her close and never let go — while the other part of her wanted her to leave and never look back, to live on and forget everything about her.

She sighed slowly and carefully, not wanting Vanille to notice how nervous she was since the redhead was occupying herself with looking around her room from her spot in the middle of it.

Vanille noticed nothing of Lightning's inner struggle. She was busying herself with looking at what the pinkette had on her shelves. There where several trophies in both bronze, silver and gold. They were not big, but Vanille still found herself to be impressed when she saw them.

"So I see you're quite the fighter?" she said with a smile as she turned back to look at Lightning. She was smirking and slowly nodding her head while looking at her trophies.

"Well I'm no professional, but I'm okay." she added. "I was actually preparing for a gym event when I got ill. Another gym had invited us to have a few sets of sparring matches with first, second and third place medals. And afterwards there would be food and play for those who wanted to go." she shook her head. "I would have won that..." she added under her breath.

Vanille giggled. Thinking back to the night they have shared back when Lightning had just been released from the hospital, she remembered the intense nature of the sport, with short and precise punches, heavy kicks and acrobatic maneuvers. She smiled and studied the older girl. She was still looking at her trophies.

"You want to see me fight?" she asked suddenly, eyeing Vanille trough the corner of her eye.

The redhead nodded, still with the smile present on her lips.

The Farron seemed to brighten up at this. Patting the bed beside her, she reached for her interactive screen.

Vanille sat down beside her. She had to fight the urge to lean against Lightning as she looked at the screen in Lightning's hands. Quickly scrolling through her documents, Lightning came across the videos she intended to show.

"This is me versus a girl from Palumpolum." she said and tapped the video.

The screen filled up with a multicolored blur, before Serah's voice came in. _"Isn't it supposed to focus in it's own? I don't know how this thing works!"_ the camera seemed to angle.

_"I think you're supposed to tap where you want it to focus."_ Vanille recognized Fang's voice. The screen became clear and a ring came into view.

_"I did it!"_ Serah exclaimed happily.

_"High five on tha' sweetpea!"_ Fang's voice could be heard, followed by giggles and a clap.

The ring was made up of a rope cage of sorts. It was a large square mat with ropes from four poles that encaged the fighters. Two of the poles was white while the other two where red and blue.

It basically looked like every other fighting stage that Vanille had seen. Not that she had seen many, but the few she had seen looked like that.

Closest to the camera was the red corner, and entering from between the ropes was Lightning. Dressed in red and white shorts and a white tank top. The white on the sides of her shorts was in the shape of a lightning bolt striking the bottom of her pants, Vanille found the fact endearing.

"I'm just gonna skip this, the fight doesn't start until a minute in or something." Lightning muttered and changed the pace of the video. When she stopped, she and the other girl in purple shorts and black top was standing in front of each other with the referee. They nodded and touched gloves.

"Have they done cool introductions and such as in the big contests?" Vanille asked. "Malqui is all about the boasting voice shouting out the names of the fighters."

"They pretty much say your name and what gym you're in. Not much boasting doing on." Lightning replied with a smirk. "Not until you're big anyway." she added confidently. Vanille smiled at her, feeling her heart flutter. Seeing Lightning talking about fighting was something special. The girl rarely showed signs of excitement over things, so seeing her so engaged and happy about something was, to Vanille, alluring.

Lightning suddenly looked at her. "Aren't you supposed to watch the clip?" she asked. "What are you doing?" she added under her breath as a pink hue spread on her cheekbones.

Vanille realized then that she had been staring and leaning in towards her, she was a mere inch from the pinkette's face.

Throwing herself backwards with a startled '_eep!_' she almost ended up tumbling down on the floor if it was not for Lightning. The pinkette had quickly reached out and grabbed the front of her shirt when she leaned back too much so she lost balance.

Pulling the girl up again, she chuckled. Vanille's face was burning up and she panted a bit from the adrenaline rush.

"You're quirky." Lightning said and went back to her interactive screen, rewinding the clip. "I like that." she added in a murmur as she concentrated on not rewinding too far.

Vanille's heart skipped several beats as she processed what the girl has just said. Feeling a surge of affection rising within her, she beamed a Lightning, she could not help it, Lightning made her happy with simple gestures without even trying and probably without even knowing.

Positioning herself beside Lightning again, she reluctantly pulled her eyes from the Farron's face and looked to the screen. But not without stealing a glance every now and then of the beautiful girl next to her.

...

xxXxx

...

Two hours had passed since Serah sent Vanille to Lightning's room. To say that she was curious by now was by far an understatement. She had talked herself out of going there several times already, but her patience was wearing thin. She wanted to desperately to know what was going on. Deciding that two hours was enough time to talk and what not, she got up from the couch. Walking over to her sisters door, she stopped in front of it first to listen, if Vanille had managed to get Lightning to talk, she did not want to interrupt anything.

She was a bit surprised when she did not hear a thing from inside.

Bemused, she furrowed her brow and slowly opened the door.

In the room, the girls she had been hoping would sit and talk instead lying beside each other on the bed, sleeping, with Lightning's interactive screen lying face down on the pinkette's stomach. Vanille was lying with her head nuzzled up against Lightning's shoulder as the Farron's fingers gripped her interactive screen firmly.

Serah smiled at the sight and walked up to the pair. Carefully removing the interactive screen from Lightning's sleeping fingers, she turned it off and put it where she knew Lightning kept it.

Leaving the two together, she left them where they where. With one last glance, she left for the kitchen.

...

xxXxx

...

Lightning's eyes flew open.

Above her was a bright blue sky with a few white clouds here and there, and below her she could feel the soft grass and hard ground.

But the first thing that caught her eye was herself, floating a few feet above.

Bemused, she narrowed her eyes at the figure, and it mimicked her exact actions.

She lifter her hand and slowly reached it out, watching her clone do the same. Just as their fingertips met, ripples erupted and distorted the image.

The ripples spread across the sky and all of it started to sway, making her feel slightly nauseous.

Her image began to change, at first it was small things, like her arms and legs got thinner and the whole body shrunk a bit.

Then eyes and hair changed color.

When the ripples came to a stop, it was not her image that floated in the air above her, instead it was Vanille, in Lightning's clothes.

The redhead smirked slyly and gave her a look that she had not seen on the girl before.

With a sudden rush, Vanille fell down and landed on top of her - straddling her.

Staring deep into her eyes, she inched closer.

Lightning's heart raced up to her throat and hammered so hard she thought she would suffocate from the pressure.

The redhead kept coming closer, her half lidded eyes flickered between her eyes and her lips.

The pounding of her heart spread to her whole head.

The redhead pursed her lips and Lightning found herself parting her own in anticipation.

The girl moved so slowly she got frustrated — throwing herself off the ground, she flew up and crashed her lips against the redhead who moaned in surprise!

...

"Light, what are you doing?"

Her eyes fluttered open, she was sitting straight up in her bed. Looking to her side she saw a disoriented Vanille rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Sorry." she mumbled.

And then it hit her, what is the redhead doing in her bed?

Vanille seemed to think the same since she froze on the spot and looked up at the Farron.

"I'm sorry!" she sat up and scrambled out of the bed. Bowing low, she continued her nervous outbreak. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't sleep in you bed!" she bowed several times more. "I'm so sorry!"

Lightning chuckled, confusing Vanille. She pursed her lips and tilted her eyebrows. "What?"

The look on the redhead's face made Lightning's breath catch. Her eyes flew from her deep green eyes to her pursed and full, pink lips. A flashback from her dream roamed through her mind and she found herself having to stop herself from doing something inappropriate.

She swallowed hard and looked away. "You're quirky." she said.

Vanille smiled then, remembering what the pinkette had said earlier. "Thanks, I guess...?" she said and scratched her cheek.

Lightning smiled a small smile, Vanille beamed back at her.

A knock on the door got their attention. Serah peeked her head in. "Hi guys. Dinner's ready if you feel like eating." she said with a smile.

Lightning got up and straightened her clothing. "Thanks." she said as she made her way past Serah and out the door.

Vanille was about to follow when she looked at Serah. Serah only smiled at her knowingly, winking at her, before leaving.

Vanille blushed and puffed her cheeks, Serah was such a tease!

Stomping angrily towards the kitchen, she thought that even though she felt like Serah was teasing her, she could not help but smile at the whole situation and feel very content with herself for getting the older Farron in a better mood.

_I feel like I'm inching closer to Lightning by the day._

She smiled at the thought as she seated herself next to Lightning at the table.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

_Don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts and opinions!_

_Thank you for reading!_


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Hiya!**

Since I took so long last time, I figured I could be a little quicker this time around...

I know that I usually say this at the end of the chapters, but I really want you guys to leave me a review on this chapter! So please do =)

_**Disclaimer!**_

_All of the characters mentioned in this fic is property of Square Enix, I am merely borrowing them for teh lulz!_

Please enjoy _Chapter Nineteen _of _Fatum Amor!_

* * *

><p>"I don't think you're supposed to walk this fast!" Vanille panted as she hurried to keep up with the pinkette. Damn her and her long legs! "What if it's to early for your body?" she added in a worried tone.<p>

"I told you I'm fine, I'm not walking _that_ fast anyway." Lightning retorted and kept at it.

Vanille rolled her eyes at her. Lightning sure was as stubborn as an untamed chocobo. "Then could you slow down a bit for me? Please? I'm having a hard time keeping up..." to her surprise, Lightning stopped completely and turned around, she did this so suddenly that Vanille ran right into her. Bouncing back off of the older girls chest, she almost lost her balance.

Lightning was quick though and managed to catch her by the wrist, pulling her up again, the girl flew into her arms and Lightning's other hand instinctively ended up at the small of her back.

With their faces only inches apart, it took a few seconds for them to grasp what happened. As soon as it sunk in, they released each other and continued their walk, red faced and avoiding eye contact.

Walking in silence for a few minutes, they both regained their composure.

"Is this a better pace?" Lightning asked softly and glanced at Vanille through the corner of her eye. Vanille nodded happily.

"Much better. Now it's more like we're hanging out instead of rushing." she smiled at Lightning, who smirked back at her.

They kept the comfortable pace as they walked the same path they had walked a week before. Vanille thought back to how close she had been to reveal her emotions to the pinkette next to her. If this Jihl had not interrupted them, she would have come clean and would know for sure how Lightning felt about her. Glancing over at her companion, it was visible that the spot they where in was still haunted with the memories of that faithful night. Lightning had a scowl on her forehead and an expression suggesting that she was in deep thought.

Vanille did not want to bother the girl, but she really wanted to know the history between her and Jihl. She had fought the urge to ask the older girl a few days now, but it seemed futile. The more she struggled not to ask her, the more she wanted to ask her.

Figuring that Lightning could just say no, she decided to ask her gently, since this was obviously a sensitive subject.

"Light?" she said softly.

The pinkette looked up from the ground and met her gaze. She looked calm, but Vanille could see there was other emotions swirling around in there, making her hard to read. Well, _harder_ to read...

"Ehm.." she began, realizing that she never thought of how to word it before speaking. "Well I wanted to ask you something... if you don't mind."

Lightning looked at her for a few seconds before diverting her gaze, almost turning away completely. Vanille wondered if she knew what she wanted to ask and was considering it.

"I totally understand if you don't want to tell me anything!" she added then. "I just... well, I'm curious.. to be honest.." she said and shuffled on the ground, looking down in shame. Regretting that she ever opened her mouth, she cursed her own curiosity.

"Sure, what do you want to know?" Lightning said after a while, she sounded a bit reluctant and Vanille guessed that she had an inkling to what her question was about. She straightened her back and cleared her throat.

"Well, if it's not too sensitive, I'd like to know a little about Jihl and you..." she mumbled.

Lightning's lips narrowed into a thin line, which made Vanille feel even worse about asking. The pinkette shook her head and crossed her arms, obviously considering it before telling her anything. Vanille could not help but feel stupid about asking, Jihl had really hurt Lightning, and opened up all old wounds, and here she comes along and rips the newly forming scab right off. Stupid, insensitive you, Vanille! she bashed herself internally.

"It's a bit too sensitive." she heard the older girl say. "I might tell you another time."

When Vanille looked up from the ground, Lightning was still looking at her, but she was not angry or sad. She still had her arms crossed though, which told Vanille that she was not too comfortable about the subject. She smiled up at Lightning carefully.

"Okay, I'm sorry." she said and bowed her head. "I didn't mean to upset you or anything." she murmured and sent Lightning an apologetic look.

Lightning scoffed. "Tch." and to Vanille's surprise, she smiled. "Upset? Nonsense." she said and shrugged it off.

Vanille felt a shiver runt up her spine at the smirk, her cheeks heated up and her belly fluttered. Realizing she was staring with her mouth open, she briskly closed it and shook her head. "Okay then!" she exclaimed. Glad that her question never ruined the mood between them. She realized that she had to be foolish to forget over and over that Lightning was more sensitive than she might seem to be, talking with her was like playing _minesweeper_.

The girl had a knack for closing up like a clam and not say anything.

Lightning sent her a small smile, but a smile that made her whole face shine, before nodding in the direction they had been heading before Vanille made them stop. The Farron started walking, not realizing that her smile and head-bob sent Vanille's already weak defenses crumbling down. The redhead stood on shaky legs for quite a few seconds before she snapped out of it and jogged up to Lightning.

Cheeks burning furiously.

...

xxXxx

...

The door to the apartment swooped open. Lightning kicked off her boots and placed them neatly on the shoe shelf. Vanille followed her example before following the older girl into the livingroom.

"Hey sis and Vanille!" greeted them before they even saw Snow sitting beside Serah in the couch. Vanille waved back, but Lightning stared at him before narrowing her eyes at the boy.

"Planning a wedding now, are we?" she asked and stared at him as his happy expression broke and he looked nervous and uncertain all of a sudden.

"_No_!" he exclaimed and shook his head, waving his hands around to dismiss her misunderstanding.

"Why not? Is my sister not good enough for you?" Lightning asked and narrowed her eyes even more, glaring at him now.

Snow started sweating, he thought they where cool, what brought this on? Waving his arms around, gesticulating even more frantically, he stuttered while speaking. "No, that's not what I meant! I-I'd totally marry her! It's just that we're young and-.. and.. _well_!" Snow looked to Serah for support, who only smiled and patted his arm.

"She's not serious Snow..." she said and giggled at his antics.

Snow looked to Lightning, utterly confused, as she sat down beside him casually. Patting his knee, she ushered his feet off the table and grabbed the remote.

Vanille blinked, she had not understood what happened either, so she could understand that Snow was confused. She looked between the three of them while Snow looked between the Farron sisters on his sides, before looking up at Vanille. She shrugged to show that she was not much wiser than him.

He semed to relax a bit and sat back in the couch again. But still eyed the girls on either side of him cautiously.

Moving to sit down beside Lightning, Vanille glanced at the pink haired teen. Noticing then that said teen was looking at her. Lightning smiled at her then, it was a simple and kind gesture that lasted for a second or two - but it sent a wave of mixed positive emotions crashing through Vanille's system. She found herself stopping in her tracks with trembling knees and her palms growing sweaty.

Her face was burning but she tried to smile back normally. She must have managed some kind of smile, because she could see a smile playing on the older teens lips and her eyes gleamed happily, which only caused more havoc inside of her.

Only when Lightning looked away was she able to move again.

Their brief interaction and Vanille's reactions did not go unnoticed by the other pink haired teen in the room.

Smiling to herself, Serah sat back in the couch and continued flipping the pages of her fashion magazine.

...

xxXxx

...

"I'm telling you, you should tell her! You're ready!" she giggled at her friends red cheeks. "You'll be fine, c'mon!"

Serah nudged Vanille with her elbow. The redhead was unable to say anything and just shook her head violently.

"Vanille, nothing bad will happen. I saw how the two of you met eyes earlier today." Vanille gasped at this and clapped her hands over her mouth, cheeks growing even a deeper shade if red. She glanced at Serah with panic written over her face.

"C'mon Vanille, worst possible scenario is a rejection in the form of a polite let down. She won't hate you or shut you out, I promise." she ran her hand over Vanille's back to calm her since she could see Vanille's internal havoc. Vanille glanced at Serah again, who smiled at her. "It will be okay." she said and pulled her in, laying her head gently against her friends auburn locks, she hugged her close. "She would never be mean to you."

Vanille nodded, she knew that Lightning would never try to hurt her, she would gently let her down, _if_ she let her down. Sighing, she lifted her head, making Serah release her.

"I don't know what I'm nervous about..." a deep sigh escaped from her lips. "I know she won't hate me..." she whispered.

"Then there shouldn't be anything to fear, no?" Serah nudged her again.

"I don't know." she replied.

"Then go? She smiled at you didn't she? That must mean something, right?" Serah said and nudged her again. This was getting exciting, Vanille was even looking like she was ready to spill the beans.

The redhead looked at her friend, she was right - Lightning had smiled at her. Vanille sighed, and smiled before nodding. Serah had convinced her to give it a shot, having her tell her to say it made her feel like the younger Farron knew something about Lighting that she herself had overlooked.

Serah stared at her. "You're gonna tell her?"

Vanille nodded again and her smile widened.

"Oh my gosh! You go girl!" she clapped her hands and hugged the still blushing girl again. "Go get her!"

Vanille got up, and saying she was nervous was by far an understatement.

Her legs felt like they wobbled with every step, she could not breathe properly and it felt like her heart was trying to jump out of her chest. She looked back over her shoulder at Serah, who stood at her bedroom door smiling from ear to ear.

Vanille snorted at the sight and turned back to the task at hand. Putting her hand over her heart she took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm it, but nothing helped. The closer she got to that door, the harder it hammered in her ears and chest. Trying to take deep breaths did not help any more than folding her arms around herself.

She looked back and met eyes with Serah. The pinkette smiled at her gently this time. Vanille shook her head and rushed back to Serah.

"Vanille what are you doing?" Serah hissed in disappointment.

"I don't know what to say!" Vanille hissed back, she looked ready to collapse and Serah found herself feeling sorry for the girl, she must be sick with nerves right now.

"Just tell her whatever comes to mind. Even if it's just 'I like you', it's still a start." Serah said and smiled softly at her friend. Vanille seemed to calm down at her words as she slowly nodded when the words sunk in. Serah put her hands on the redheads shoulders and squeezed her gently. "You can do it Vanille." she said softly and kept smiling.

Vanille nodded more confidently this time. Straightening her back, she turned around. Her heart was still raging and she was incredibly nervous still, but her heartbeat was at least not hammering in her ears.

Giving her one last small squeeze, Serah let go of Vanille's shoulder and let her continue. The redhead understood that Serah would not follow. This was something she needed to do herself, and she knew that from the beginning. It would ultimately be better this way, even if she felt like running away at this moment.

Realizing that she was standing right in front of the door to Lightnings room, she gasped in surprise, how did she get here? She had not realized she had been walking.

Squeezing her eyes shut and taking a few more deep breaths to calm her nerves, she thought of the smile Lightning had sent her earlier, and reached her hand out and took the handle. Trying to calm herself further was futile, there was only one way to get rid of this feeling, and that was simply by facing your fears and hoping for the best.

She stood for a while holding the handle, thinking about what she wanted to happen when she got in there.

She wanted the older girl to love her back, to say that she at least liked her. She wanted her to get up and walk up to her, hold her and...

She did not dare to think further. Images of what she wished for flashed through her mind making her tummy flutter with excitement.

She had been thinking about those soft lips for a long time now, and there was nothing more on this planet that she wanted so desperately to feel.

Reaching up, she gently touched her lips.

_I wonder what it's like, to kiss Lightning Farron._

Closing her hand, she squeezed it hard and with a look of determination plastered on her face, she looked to Serah. Nodding at the smiling pinkette, she turned the handle and gently peeked through the door.

The pinkette on the other side was laying on her bed with a book in her hands.

Vanille felt pride and affection wash away some of her nerves within her when she saw that it was the book she had gifted to the Farron when she was still at the hospital.

She met eyes with the strawberry blonde who was eyeing her curiously.

"Err... may I come in?" she mumbled.

The pinkette nodded. Putting a bookmark between the pages, she closed the book and set in down in her lap. Sitting up, she turned so that she was facing the redhead.

Vanille swallowed several times as she made her way to the middle of the room.

"Do you remember... that I wanted to talk to you about something, last weekend?" her eyes fell to the floor right underneath Lightning. "The night we ran into Jihl?"

Lightning visibly shook her head at the mention of Jihl, but nodded soon thereafter. "I remember that you stopped and had trouble telling me something, yes."

Vanille swallowed, she was torn between being happy because she remembered, and being nervous and afraid of the things to come.

"Well... I thought I'd give it another shot." she said and glanced up at Lightning, smiling nervously.

Lightning nodded and smiled carefully back at her. Trying her best to seem nice since she could see that the girl was struggling with something. The redhead was standing with her shoulders tensed and fumbling her fingers obnoxiously. Her eyes was darting between the walls and floor before ending up connected to hers from time to time.

It all plus the rosy tint on her cheeks just made her look absolutely adorable to Lightning.

She had given up on trying to deny her feelings for the girl. As long as she did not act on them, she would not hurt her in the ultimate end.

Looking at the girl, she could not take her eyes off her face and those magical green eyes.

"Well..."

Those pink, full lips.

"What I was trying to say back then..."

Her girlish, shyly held back shoulders, not at all like Jihl's confident straight ones.

Vanille was struggling, but it went unnoticed by the Farron, since she sat there mesmerized by the pure and innocent girl in front of her.

"Well what I've been trying to say to you is that I... I kinda..." Vanille wanted to cry, she had been staring at the ground up until now. An immense inner pressure forced her to continue speaking. As she dared herself to look up, she met the azure blue orbs that studied her deeply.

There was something within those eyes that made all of her worries disappear. Everything went silent, from her throbbing heart to the pulsating veins in her ears to her ragged breathing.

Everything was quiet.

When their eyes met, time stopped. The azure blue orbs that pierced deep into Vanille's forest greens felt totally different than from other times.

They made her feel warm, like the older girl somehow sent her warm energy just by looking into her eyes.

Releasing a deep breath, Vanille felt fully relaxed...

"I just wanted to say that I love you."

The words slipped of her lips so easily, her whispered words could be heard as if she had been shouting them in the stillness of the room she stood in. She was not even the slightest nervous anymore, there was something within the older girls eyes that just felt right, and everything would be okay.

...

Lightning felt herself tremble.

The redheads words echoed through her mind. Never before had anyone said those words and made them sound as honest and genuine as the girl in front of her. The sheer weight of the words almost felt crushing.

"I-..." she did not know what to say. "I uh-..."

Vanille's nervous smile faltered and started to drop. Lightning felt awful.

"I don't.. I don't do dating..."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt terrible. This was not what she meant to say when she willed herself to talk!

She did not know what she wanted to say, but this was not it!

She watched in horror as Vanille's face changed from anticipant, to chocked, to hurt and finally a look of despair came across her face.

Lightning felt unable to move as the redhead turned around and rushed out her bedroom door in tears, slamming the door behind her.

While she was unable to do anything but gape at her own stupidity, Serah burst through the door, red faced in fury.

"_Claire Farron_!" she barked. "_What_ do you think you're _doing_?!"

Lightning shook her head and stared wide eyed at her little sister.

"You go after her _right now_ Claire, or I don't know what I'll do to you!"

Lightning scrambled out of her bed and on to the floor.

Rushing past her sister, she threw on a slightly oversized hooded shirt and jumped into her shoes.

Rushing down the stairs, three steps at a time at least, she soon scrambled on to the streets and scanned the streets for red pigtails. Setting off into a sprint as soon as her eyes caught a familiar frame.

Seeing the girl slip behind a corner, she pushed herself to run faster. She needed to go faster, the girl she had grown to love would slip between her fingers if she did not reach her.

Rounding the corner, she dodged a group of girls on the other side, hearing them scream and then giggle behind her in surprise. Not giving them a second thought, she focused on gaining on the girl right in front of her. She was only a few yards away.

"Vanille!"

Her call made the girl stall for a second, but instead of stopping and turning around, she kept stomping ahead.

Lightning huffed and kept sprinting, she was only a few seconds away.

Reaching out her hand, she was almost surprised by how soon it connected with the narrow shoulder of the girl she had fallen for. She even had to stop herself from pushing the redhead off balance.

As soon as her fingers grabbed on to Vanille properly, the redhead started pulling away, trying to get out of her grip.

Lightning reached her other hand out and grabbed a hold of both of Vanille's shoulders. Vanille thrashed against her grip, strangled sobs escaped her as she fought to get free.

Lightning frowned. The sobs cut like knifes through her very soul.

Since she did not know what to do, she decided to stop thinking and just act upon whatever came to mind, Lightning pulled Vanille into her arms and hugged the girl from behind.

As she caught the girl by surprise, the — at the moment - fierce redhead instantly stopped thrashing. Lightning sunk her head down into the nape of Vanille's neck.

Both of them were breathing heavily. Vanille because she struggled to keep her tears back, and Lightning because of her sprint.

"I'm sorry." Lightning's breath tickled against Vanille's skin. Feeling the older girls voice hum against her ear sent shivers down her back that was pleasant even though Vanille did not want them to be. "I'm so sorry Vanille."

Feeling her defenses falter, she sighed, straightening her back, she gently pushed on Lightning's arms, making her ease her grip.

Turning around within her arms, she looked up into the face that she had seen so many times by now, a face that she had studied intently many times when the Farron was unaware. The sharp chin. Pale, pink lips. Beautiful cheekbones and at last those stunning eyes.

Vanille found herself lost, lost in the beauty of the girl that did not love her back.

As that thought crossed her mind, her bottom lip quivered and tears that had stopped started to burn behind her eyes once more.

"No please..." Lightning whispered. She did not know what to do, she was never good with these things!

This time she did not have to, as Vanille snaked her arms around Lightning's waist and held her tight. A few mille seconds passed before the older teen understood what happened, but as soon as she realized what was going on, she wrapped her arms securely around the smaller girls frame.

"I'm so very sorry Vanille." she whispered into the shorter girls ear. Vanille could feel the Farron's lips brush against the tip of her ear, sending more of those pleasant shivers down her spine.

She sniffled and dug her face into the older girls collarbone and hood, tightening her grip even more, grabbing and pulling slightly at the fabric only to get the girl closer.

Lightning pulled the girl off of her, not fully but just so she could see her face.

Vanille's eyes was red and puffy, tears was still rolling down her wet cheeks. Watery eyes stared back into hers as she gazed down into the deep green pools.

Lightning knew then, she knew then that she did not want the girl to feel like this ever again, she did not want this girl to hurt like this because of _her_.

She smiled, which visibly confused the redhead in her arms, making her divert her eyes in shame, feeling like the older girl laughed at her for being a crybaby.

Lightning reached up and put a digit under Vanille's chin, gently lifting it up, she smiled once again when the girl resumed their lost eye contact.

Denying it now was futile, there was no way she would ever be able to say that she did not love the redhead. That she did not love _Vanille_.

Admitting to herself that she was totally lost, she leaned down.

Brushing her lips against the pink ones - that she just now realized that she had longed for - she heard Vanille gasp. Smiling once again, she closed the distance between them.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

_Again, don't forget to leave me a review with your thoughts and constructive criticism! It would be very much apreciated!_

_Thank you for reading!_


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Hiya!**

I came home from France last sunday, I eleven days there with my family, uncle with wife and daughter and my grandparents.  
>To make a long story short; It was awesome, beautiful country, warm weather (a bit too warm for me, but it was okay), good food and nice company.<p>

When I came back, I told some of you that this would be done in a few days - a week ago, but I rewrote it more than I expected! Sorry!

I've kept you guys waiting after another one of my mean cliffhangers, haha. Ily though.

A shoutout and a thanks to my guest readers; **EpicToast800**, **Goobah** and **Tachi **for your reviews!

_**Disclaimer;  
><strong>I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, all character except Dr. Phoenix is property of Square Enix. Dr. Phoenix and all the other random things are purely fictional!_

Thank you guys for following this fic so wholeheartedly, it warms my body and soul that you enjoy what I do 3

Please enjoy _Chapter Twenty_ of _Fatum Amor!_

* * *

><p>It took several seconds before Vanille realized that this was reality. That the girl she had started off admiring, was now standing there in public, holding her and softly kissing her lips.<p>

It took a few more moments of realizing reality before Vanille found herself slowly responding to the Farron's kiss.

A brief moment of worry hit her then, as she realized that she had never shared anything more than a kindergarden-kiss with anyone before - you know the ones where you are too naïve to even understand the concept of kissing.

However, that moment of worry was gone as soon as Lightning responded to her lips synch. Putting her strong arm around her and pulling her in closer, she put the hand that had been holding her chin at the back of her head to add a bit of pressure into the kiss.

Vanille felt like she would faint, like her legs would be unable to hold her weight anymore. This was too good to be true, the girl she loved had told her she was not into dating. This had to be someone else who just happened to be nearby and was taking advantage of her weak state.

Slowly opening her eyes, her heart skipped several beats when she was met with Lightning's smooth cheek and closed eye, her beautiful lashes draped over her slightly pink cheek.

Tears once again welled up in her eyes, it was true, Lightning was right there, this was not some scumbag that was near enough to overhear everything - however illogical that scenario would have been - this was Light-... Claire Farron.

Letting the tears fall, she retracted her hands from around Lightning's waist and moved them up to cup the Farron's cheeks.  
>It felt like the moment lasted forever. But still, when Lightning pulled away, Vanille found herself wanting more. To her surprise, Lightning let go of her fully and took a step back.<p>

Blinking surprisedly with her hands still in the air where Lightnings face used to be, she met the eyes of the girl who stole her very first kiss. Hands falling to her sides, she sent the older girl a quizzical look.

Lightning immediately looked down with shame plastered on her face. She glanced up again to meet eyes with Vanille. They stood there for a moment, not saying anything, not moving, barely breathing.

Lightning surprised Vanille yet again when she suddenly bowed low. Her spiky bangs hid her face from Vanille's view.

"I'm so sorry."

The redhead realized then that this did not mean that they would be together. But if not, what did all of this mean? Who would chase after someone several blocks and kiss this said person only to once again say that she's not interested?

Vanille bit back new tears and clenched her fists as she waited for Lightning to explain herself.

The pinkette stood up and took a step closer without looking at the redhead. Leaning in, she leaned her forehead gently against Vanille's. The smaller girl leaned back against her, but she was still upset and confused.

"I didn't mean what I said..." Lightning mumbled. Vanille tried to catch her eye, but the older girl kept her gaze on the ground. "I didn't know what to say, it just slipped out."

Lightning met her eyes then, Vanille saw that something within her eyes that had given her the confidence to come clean. "It's not that I don't feel for you." she whispered, a whisper that sent a pleasant warmth through the younger girls body as she understood the meaning of the words.

Vanille felt like she could drown in those azure blue orbs.

A careful smile slowly spread across the pinkette's face and Vanille found herself grinning back. This was almost better than her fantasies, minus the heart ache only moments before.

Cherishing the moment, Vanille closed her eyes and leaned more against the pinkette. She wanted to know what this meant, what they where now, but she was afraid to speak and ruin this perfect moment.

"If I'm sleeping, don't wake me up." she mumbled softly. Hearing Lightning chuckle made her heart flutter and brought a smile to her face. Without opening her eyes, she reached out and grabbed Lightning's shirt - just in case. She knew her dreams, Light would be ripped from her if she let go. But instead of waking up, she felt the Farron's stronger arms carefully wrap themselves around her shoulders. Cheek pressed against the older girl's collarbone, she dared opening her eyes.

And then it hit her.

"Light!" she gasped and held a surprised Lightning at arms length.

"What?" the pinkette mumbled, eyeing her curiously.

Vanille looked over Lightning's shoulder, causing Lightning to check what she was looking for. Vanille giggled and tugged at the older girls shirt calling her attention back to her.

"Light, did you run here?" she said with a big smile on her face.

Lightning stared at her for a moment, apparently not catching her drift. But then her face changed as she stared with wide eyes at Vanille. Throwing a glance over her shoulder again, she nodded. "I ran here..." she mumbled as another kind of happiness bloomed within her. "I ran here." she said again as she looked back at Vanille who was bouncing with excitement. Lightning's face broke into a big - for Lightning - smile. "And I'm okay, I don't feel anything." she said with a hint of excitement ringing in her voice.

"We got to tell Serah!" Vanille giggled as she bounced and tugged at Lightning clothes.

_Lightning is okay, she's healthy!_

Lightning chuckled as she was dragged by the arm towards their home.

**...**  
><strong>xxXxx<strong>  
><strong>...<strong>

As the door swooped open, Lightning could hear Serah mutter inside the apartment and Snow's desperate pleas for her to calm down. Hearing her angered steppes draw closer, she guessed that her sister had heard the door.

"_Light_, I swear on the vows of the Guardian Corps, if you lost her, I'll _rip_ your-..."

Serah came to a stop when she saw both of her favourite girls in the hallway.

The apartment fell silent as the door closed behind Lightning and Vanille.

Serah had a hard time deciding on what had happened. They where both there so they should have talked, but they where not standing unusually close or holding hands. She honestly could not say how their talk had gone.

Vanille on the other hand, had other thought on her mind. Skipping up to Serah, she grabbed her hand as she started to bounce on the spot. "Serah! There's something you really want to know!" she squealed.

Serah smiled instantly. "Really? So it went well?" she asked, full of excitement.

"She ran all the way Serah!" Vanille said as she turned to Lightning, beaming. "She ran all the way from the apartment to the beach!"  
>Serah stopped in her tracks to process what had just been said. Vanille was still holding her hand and bouncing at her side, sending warm smiles towards a smirking Lightning.<p>

"Wait, Vanille, I think we're talking about different things..." Serah said, but Vanille was by far to excited to listen to her confused friend.

But as she thought about Vanille's words, Serah forgot all about why she had been angry or why the girls had left in the first place.

Lightning had been running, and she was still standing right there in front of them.

Bliss filled her being as tears build up in her eyes. She was not going to loose her sister to the Doom's Disease. She lurched forward and slung her arms around her sisters waist. Catching her off-guard, Lightning almost fell into the door when Serah did so.

Deep sobs escaped the younger Farron as she held her sister in a death grip. Even though Lightning had visibly become healthier, it was still good to have some sort of sturdy proof of her recovery.

Lightning held her sister and patted her gently on the head.

Vanille stood a few feet away, not wanting to disrupt the Farron siblings moment together.

Noticing Lightning's eyes on her, she smiled at her, receiving a smirk in return.

**...**  
><strong>xxXxx<strong>  
><strong>...<strong>

"Really now?"

"Yes, Vanille and Light came back and told me as much. She says that she feels nothing more than a slight soreness in her muscles."

"That's great! She's done a speedy recovery then!" Dr. Phoenix sounded pleased.

Serah smiled and let out a hum in agreement. "Sorry that I'm disrupting your evening doctor, but I thought you wanted to know." she said apologetically.  
>"Nonsense Serah, I gave you all my number so that you could call me in times of need." she heard a hearty chuckle. "I should warn you though that she might still get muscle cramps if she over stimulates since she's been inactive for quite a while battling this major virus, so please tell her to be careful and take it easy in the beginning. And tell her I said hi, will you?"<p>

"Will do, thank you doctor!"

They said their good byes and hung up.

"That's great news." Snow grinned at her from the couch. Smiling back, Serah turned to him before sitting down beside him.

"Yeah, I'm so happy she's getting better. I was so scared back when it all happened." she sighed and frowned at the memories and emotions that had yet to heal within her.

"Hey now.." Snow reached out and stroke her cheek. "Brighten up, she's gonna be okay, right? No need to quiver that cute lip of yours. It'll be fine." he smiled at her, making her smile back.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" Serah asked and leaned her back against his chest.

"I don't know, watch a movie?" he shrugged.

"What kind of movie?" she asked as she reached for the remote.

**...**

In her room, Lightning had been sitting on her bed for quite a while, feeling her legs.

_I don't even feel sore..._ she pondered. Stretching her legs out, she reached for her toes. She managed to touch them and pull a little bit, but she was not what she used to be. Thinking about it, she had been sick for quite a few months now, so of course she was not what she used to be.

Releasing her feet, she sat up and swung her feet off the bed.

Before she got sick, she could easily do 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups and 100 squats with barely breaking sweat.

Getting to the floor, she bit down and heaved.

**...**

Closing the door to Serah's room, Vanille sighed happily. Taking a shower had been a refreshment she really needed.

Getting to her knees, she ruffled through the bag with clothing that belonged to her.

Thinking about it, she ha almost moved here by now. A few weeks back, she had packed her traveling bag with clothes she liked and went here. Since she could squeeze in on the Farron sisters laundry time, she had not visited her own room since then.

LeBreau had sent some texts asking when she got back in the beginning, but after a while she had just laughed at the situation and told Vanille to send her a text whenever she was coming home.

Finding her favourite underclothes, she stood back up.

She had never intended to move here, it just sort of happened.

Since Serah and Lightning did not mind, she had not thought about it further.

Getting back on her knees in her undergarment she once again searched her pack.

"Hi Vanille." Serah greeted as she entered.

"Hey, excuse my nakedness."

Serah chuckled as she walked through her room.

"Oh, what did the doctor say by the way?" Vanille asked as she tied her shorts.

Serah turned on her heel and started walking out of the room. "Right, I was going to tell Lightning hi and that she should take it easy!" she sighed and shook her head. "Snow started talking about movies and I forgot.." she shrugged.

Vanille joined her on her way out. "So what were you planning on watching?" she asked while ruffling her still damp locks.

"He wants to watch an action movie, but I don't know about that..." Serah shook her head. "I'm not too fond of movies that is all about the explosions and the muscular guy getting the girl."

Vanille giggled, Serah shot her a smile before turning the handle to Lightning's bedroom door and directing her attention inside.

"_Light?!_" she gasped and rushed inside. Vanille felt her heart clench and grow cold. _What happened to Light?_

"I just can't believe you!"

_Okay, so she's alive._ Vanille released a deep sigh that eased her heart.

Going through the door, she understood why Serah was so upset.

Lightning was lying on the floor, drenched in sweat and panting like a dog during summer - but _smiling_.

Putting her hands on her hips, she narrowed her brows. What was she thinking? Did she not know that she could have a relapse if she strained too hard?  
>Serah was still scolding Lightning, but it was obvious that the older sibling was not listening.<p>

"Serah." Serah stalled as soon as Lightning interrupted. "Don't worry. It may look like I tore myself down, but I promise you I didn't," she sat up, now in eye level with her sister. "All I did was some pushups, crunches and squats. I didn't even go past fifty reps, promise."

Serah frowned, still with her hands on her hips. Sighing, she watched her sister get off the floor.

Meeting eyes with Vanille, Lightning smirked.

The redhead removed her hands from her hips and stepped aside so the older girl could walk past her. The pinkette looked her in the eye once more before making towards the bathroom.

"I guess there's no stopping her when she's got her mind set on something". Serah sighed and shook her head, watching her sister close the door to the bathroom.

Vanille chuckled. "You could say that again.."

"Oh well, hopefully she'll be fine..." Serah shrugged and left Lightning's room with Vanille in tow, heading towards the living room. "Back on previous topic, I know Lightning would enjoy a horror movie, Snow wouldn't mind that and I'm happy with whatever. So I guess it's up to you 'Nille." she said and looked over her shoulder at the redhead.

Vanille swallowed. She knew that Serah was aware of the fact that she hated horror movies. And from the first time she watched a horror movie in this household, she guessed that Lightning could figure as well.

But she did not want to seem like a wuss, and what would Light think of her if she was too afraid to watch a horror movie with her? If she could not bare the pinkette's favourite genre, they did not have much of a future...

Sighing, Vanille made up her mind.

"Is there a chance we could watch a funny movie after the horror movie?" she mumbled. Her reply drew a kind smile from Serah's lips.

"Of course we'll watch a comedy if it makes you feel better 'Nille. Don't worry about it." she said and gave the redhead a reassuring pat on the shoulder.  
>Vanille felt the tight feeling in her chest ease up, but she still was not looking forward to the coming evening.<p>

**...**  
><strong>xxXxx<strong>  
><strong>...<strong>

Peanut rings and chips with dip stood on the table. The lighting was dimmed and it was twilight outside. In half an hour too an hour it would be pitch black darkness with nothing but the moon, stars and streetlights coming from outside the window.

Lightning placed a few cans of soda on the table next to the chips bowl, and behind her, Serah followed with a few more cans and a bag of hot chili nuts that she handed to an excited Snow.

"So have we decided what movie we're watching yet?" Lightning asked as she sat down in the sofa next to Snow.

"Light, what do you think you're doing?" Serah asked and put her hands on her hips.

"What? Sitting down?" Lightning asked slowly.

Serah sighed and pointed at Vanille on the other end of the couch. "There, sit. Snow's mine during horror movies."

With a low grumble, Lightning slid from her chosen spot to where Serah had placed her. Snow chuckled at first but then grunted when Lightning reached a foot out and playfully poked his ribs.

Swatting her sister with the remote, Serah ignored Lightning's yelp and half-hearted glare as she sat down with a sly smirk on her lips.

"I've heard about this one, want to see it?" she said and opened the review of the chosen movie.

Vanille gulped, she had not heard of it since she avoided horror movies.

"I've heard of it too." Lightning spoke up from beside her. "It's supposed to have scared five high school girls so bad, they ran screaming from the theaters." she smirked. "Has to be good stuff." she added, eyes gleaming maliciously.

"What's with that look in your eye." Serah chuckled. "I'm selecting this then since no one's opposing the suggestion." she said and pushed 'Rent'.

Vanille felt chills running up her spine already, nervousness settled in her stomach and her hands started fiddling.

**...**

_Scrambling through the corridor, the girl looked behind herself. She was relieved to see that the monster that had chased her was gone, but fear kept her from stopping._

_Slamming into something, she yelped in fear-_

Vanille twitched and hugged her knees closer, she had only seen flashes of the movie since she mostly sat there with her eyes squeezed shut.

She glanced at the others sitting beside her.

Serah was leaning against Snow and hugging his arm. Vanille knew that Serah was easily spooked by these sort of movies too, but she had Snow.  
>Vanille frowned and wished that she had someone to comfort her.<p>

_"Jade, calm down! It's only me!" Tony reached out and helped the frantic girl calm down._

_"Tony, the creature was chasing me! It was right behind me only moments before!" she cried and grabbed a hold of his hands._

_They grew quiet and listened intently for any sounds that would suggest that the creature was still at Jade's heels.-_

Out of the corner of her eye, Lightning could see Vanille shift uncomfortably, again. She had been shifting since the beginning of the movie.

Unlike last time the girl had stayed over and watched a horror movie with them, Lightning was not humored by the young girls fear.

Instead, she felt a tug in her chest and she felt slightly guilty for some reason. Like she was the reason behind the girl fear, or like she was supposed to do something. That she would be the reason behind Vanille's fear was completely illogical, she was not the one who chose which movie to watch.  
>But the other feeling, she felt like she needed or was supposed to do something, but she did not know what...<p>

_Jade and Tony searched the empty industrial warehouse corridor for a hiding spot._

_"We should find somewhere to stay until help arrives, or until morning." Tony said. "Over there!"_

_They ran towards the door and opened it. Going inside and shutting the door, they soon noticed they had found the broom closet._  
><em>"You think we're safe here?" Jade asked as she clung to Tony's arm.<em>

_"I don't know, let's find something to barricade the door with, just in case..." he said as he started ruffling through the various items in there._

She wanted Lightning to hold her, just like Snow was holding his arm around Serah. Glancing at the older girl, she wished that they where official so that she could lean against her like it was normal.

Returning her gaze to the television screen, she sighed.

_They could hear the creatures clawed feet against the floor right outside the broom closet door. It stalled for a moment, but then continued town the hallway._  
><em>Tony and Jade heaved a sigh of relief and looked at each other. Smiling, Tony slung his arm around Jade's shoulders.<em>

_"I guess we're safe then."_

_But just as the words left his lips, a loud crack echoed through the closet._

Vanille cursed inwardly at the Farron's surround system.

_The creatures muscular arm was reaching through a big hole at the top of the door. It's huge claws leaving deep scars in the wood as it tore away to get in._  
><em>Jade screamed in horror as the beast destroyed most of the door and the door frame. The beast's hideous upper body and head tore through the opening, but the barricade hindered the creature from entering. With a roar that splattered blood-mixed saliva on their faces, the beast swung his claws towards them, striking Tony across the face and shattering his jaw.<em>

Vanille yelped and hid her face behind her knees as Jade's blood-freezing cries could be heard from the speakers. A loud gunshot followed by another roar from the monster told Vanille that Jade had probably been saved by one of the other surviving friends that has ventured there with her and Tony.

She did not dare to look though as the monster kept growling and the man with the shotgun yelled for Jade to run.

Whimpering, Vanille shut her eyes as hard as she could.

**...**

She had had enough. Sighing, Lightning reached out her arm and gently pulled the younger girl towards her body. The redhead tensed up at her touch out of fright, but soon seemed to realize that it was not the creature from the movie.

The girl looked up from behind her knees and met her eyes. Lightning could see that she had been at the brink of tears lately.

Ushering the girl to move closer, it took s few seconds before Vanille caught her drift. Moving in closer, she slowly leaned against Lightning's side. An action that made them both blush and inwardly thank the darkness around them.

Feeling the younger teen slowly relax against her made a warm fluttery feeling appear in her chest.

Vanille did not whimper for the remainder or the movie. Lightning was not even sure the girl was looking since her breathing was suspiciously calm. Not to mention that she leaned on her quite a bit.

When the titles came, Lightning leaned forward and glanced at the redhead. Just as she did so, Vanille's eyes fluttered open and she stared at the older teen.  
>Sitting up straight, she brushed the bangs from her face and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I seem to have dozed off..." she mumbled.<p>

Lightning blinked at her, flabbergasted. The girl hated horror movies, and still she managed to doze off?

She smirked and sat back. "Glad you where able to relax."

A pink tint spread across the redhead's cheeks. "Yes, thank you." she mumbled and turned her attention to the television.

Serah had grabbed the remote and was now flipping through menus.

"I promised Vanille that we would watch a comedy before going back to bed," she said and selected a movie. "I've heard some good stuff about this one." she smiled and sat back. Reaching her hand into the bowl in Snow's lap, she was surprised when she was met with just a few chips.

"Snow, seriously! Have you eaten all of them?" she scolded and tilted the bowl.

"I'm sorry! I didn't think about what I was doing!" he held his hands up in the air as Serah took both the bowl with the remnants of the chips and the dip from him. "Geez Snow..." she muttered with a chuckle and put them back on the table. "Don't hog them all, just let the bowls stay on the table, okay?" she murmured lovingly at him in the dark.

Snow nodded. "Good." Serah said, and a quiet smack followed after that.

Lightning was unsure of what to feel about the obvious kiss her sister just shared with the doofus. Usually she was not around when they displayed affection, since she usually did not hang out with her sister and Snow.

Sighing, she crossed her arms and focused on the movie her sister had started up for them.

If it was bad she could always go back to her room and sleep or something.

**...**  
><strong>xxXxx<strong>  
><strong>...<strong>

The movie was a sucky one, not a comedy. At least to Lightning it was a sucky movie.

It was about a pair that lived the happily-ever-after, until a guy shows up and starts sucking up on the wife. She gets divorced to the main guy since his supposed-to-be quirky antic's are an unwelcome trait since she met the new guy. He lives alone and hangs out with his friends but he's all depressed and has a dark sense of humor. All the while he gets in all of the wrong situations while he constantly complains about his ex-wife leaving him.

Making this a suckish movie.

Apparently, she was the only one in the room who was not enjoying herself, since the others laughed every now and then at the things he said and got involved in.

**...**

Lightning had been sighing since the beginning of the movie. Vanille was enjoying herself, so she did not pay much attention to the older teen, but she still noticed that the pinkette had not laughed once.

No, she did chuckle once - when the new guy kicked out the old guy, but that was a rather sad part of the movie and - _oh Ethro did he just get thrown off a shoopuff?_

Sighing after the laughter fit that the three of four teens shared, Vanille turned to look at the pinkette next to her.

A slight scowl and a tiny pout rested on Ligtning's face. It was as if she had a hard time understanding what was going on. But instead of concentration, her eyes was dull and bored.

Vanille sighed and frowned. She liked these kind of movies, but Lightning did not. How would their movie nights look in the future if they could not stand each others tastes?

When she was staring at the pinkette as the television illuminated her soft features, sharp eyes, rounded lips and spiky bangs - the movie caught her attention.

_"I don't ever want to be apart from you, this was never my choice, you chose this for me. All I ever wanted to do was love you, live with you and live only to make you happy-.."_

He continued speaking, but just as the sequence faded from her conscience, Lightning slowly turned to look at her.

The light from the television screen reflected from her eyes and made that aquatic blue shine like she had never seen. As if the light from her eyes had ignited fireworks within her, Vanille's insides started tingling instantly.

Her breath was catching in her throat, and she had only one thing on her mind.

Without a second thought, she lurched forward and caught the older girls lips with her own before her mind caught up with her.

Her heart fluttered as Lightning's response was instant.

_All I want to do is to love you, to make you happy._

Feeling Lightning smile into the kiss only reassured her that she was fulfilling both of her internal vows.

* * *

><p><em>Psst!<em>

_Don't forget to leave a review!_

_Thank you for reading!_


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Hiya!**

Boy, I've been gone forever, haven't I? Hah... Is there even anyone there who follows this anymore?

Well, life happened and so on. I'm sorry.

A special thank you to **TheLastSuperSaiyan1987 **for asking about the process of this chapter!  
><em>(I know I didn't reply to your PM, it's mostly because I didn't have anything to say, it would all be excuses, so I finished this instead.)<em>

He's why it's finished at all at this moment, so.. haha. Thanks for the help buddy.

I was hit by writers block and I felt like I had painted myself into a corner with this fic.  
>But - I've written two one-shots while I was gone just to keep writing, I'll upload them in a few days. <em>(one of them is WHOPPINGLY long for a one-shot...)<em>

_**Disclaimer:**  
><em>_I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, they all belong to Square Enix, I am merely borrowing them for the lols._

Thank you, and hope you'll enjoy chapter _twenty-one_ of _Fatum Amor!_

* * *

><p>"Are you certain?"<p>

Vanille turned her head and smiled. "Yup," she said before turning back to packing her bag.

Lightning stood still and watched her. The redhead had spent so much time with them, the thought of her going to her actual home and that she wouldn't sit with them for breakfast the next day almost felt foreign to her. But there wasn't really anything she could do, Vanille seemed to have her mind set on going home. Not that she had in any way tried to convince her to stay, it wasn't as she could really explain why she didn't want her to leave. That would be way too awkward.

She sighed.

Vanille paused her packing and sat in silence for a few seconds.

"Look, I've been latching on to you guys for far too long already," she shook her head slowly. "I started sleeping here because Serah needed my support, but you're fine now, the need of me has passed," she slowly started packing her things again.

There weren't many of her items left on the floor, making Lightning nervous and hurry to come up with some kind of excuse for her to stay. But her mind failed her, and before she could decide on something that wasn't too awkward and weird to say Vanille had already stood up and flung her bag over her shoulder.

The young redhead didn't look at her as she passed by her and left Serah's bedroom.

Coming out into the hallway, Serah came out from the kitchen. "Have you got everything?" Vanille nodded, still on her way to the door and with a disgruntled Lightning on her heels. "Okay, well it's been nice having you here," Serah smiled at her friend. "No matter what you say Vanille, had you been a pest we would have told you," she said and winked playfully.

Vanille chuckled and smiled back. "Thanks, well it's time anyway. Not to mention that I've got no clean clothes left," she said and motioned to her bag. "So it's laundry time for me," she sighed.

Reaching the door, she turned around to receive a hug from Serah. As she stepped back, the younger pinkette expectantly turned to her sister. Lightning simply stood and looked at the redhead who was sheepishly poking the floor with her foot.

"Well, bye then," Lightning murmured.

Serah facepalmed. Moving behind her sister, she forcibly pushed the older girl closer to the redhead. "Hug her for heavens sake," she muttered and kept her hands steady on Lightning's back so that she wouldn't bail out.

Vanille was looking up at Lightning, their eyes locked and she felt herself pulled towards those shifting blues. Both of their cheeks colored.

Complying to her sisters wishes, that she was projecting by slightly increasing her push on her back, Lightning opened her arms and pulled the shorter redhead into a hug.

Vanille's heart somersaulted at this, she didn't know why though since they had been more intimate than this before, just the night before even. The hold the older girl had on her was tight, but gentle. Compared to the hug they had shared back when Lightning was still on her medicine, their budding relationship was apparent in this one.

The way she wrapped her arms tightly around her without squeezing the air out of her, the way her body was gently held against her own and the way she tilted her head so that her cheek pressed against her forehead. Everything told Vanille things that had yet to be spoken.

Or she could just be making things up because of her heart that was hammering like she was having a seizure.

Little did she know that Lightning's heart was pounding in the same manner. Though none of them heard each other's heart beating, since they where both worried that the other may hear their own.

Lightning was cherishing the feeling of Vanille's in her arms. Feeling the girl's petite arms coming in under her own and grabbing a hold of her shirt between her shoulder blades, along with the sensation of her soft cheek against her collarbone and her smaller frame pressed against her was driving her heart and mind mad.

Releasing each other, Vanille reluctantly backed out of the embrace that she hoped would repeat itself sometime soon.

"I'll see you soon," she mumbled to Serah, whose knowing smile made her cheeks flare up in scarlet. "Bye," she said hastily and smiled at the Farron siblings before turning and walking out the door.

As the door closed quietly, both of the Farron sisters stood silently and watched it for a couple of seconds.

"Well, I guess that's it then," Serah shrugged. "It was nice having her here, don't you think?" she said and turned to her sister.

The older Farron sibling was staring holes in the door, with a scowl and a small pout.

Serah could do nothing but smile. "I suppose you agree," she said quietly and left Lightning standing in the hallway.

Coming out of sight, Serah shook her fists happily and almost skipped into the kitchen to continue preparing her breakfast. Just watching her sister hold Vanille told her what they meant to each other, whether or not they knew it themselves yet. It was a gentle and tender hug that had lasted a few seconds too long to be a simple hug between friends. And the way it looked like they fitted perfectly in each other's arms, it made her squeal on the inside.

Knowing both Lightning's and Vanille's past love lives, she could be nothing but happy for them.

She was happy that she had seem this coming. It all started out with Vanille acting strange around her sister, but soon enough, she could see a look in Lightning's eyes that she hadn't seen directed towards anyone previously. It was similar to the one she used to have when looking at Jihl, but this was different, seemed deeper somehow. A chill ran up her spine when she thought about that awful woman. And to think that she was the only experience Lightning had about love made her all the more happy that se had found something in Vanille.

Vanille on the other hand, had no more experience with love than the love television and the occasional novel she read portrayed. Serah knew that she had never found a boyfriend, and it wasn't because no one was interested, because there where always boys that asked her out. No, it was because _she _wasn't interested. Serah hadn't given it much thought back then, but maybe Vanille just wasn't interested in _boys _that much. Maybe not at all?

That, or she was way too shy to say yes.

She smiled at this. Vanille, ever so gentle.

Taking the cup of tea and the sandwich she had prepared, she moved out of the kitchen and walked towards the living room. Noticing her sister still standing on front of the front door made her stop. "What are you doing?" she asked, a bit concerned now.

"She's not coming back, I thought she'd come back," Lightning mumbled. "Didn't think she where being serious," she frowned when she turned to look at Serah, who smiled sympathetically.

"Claire, you knew this day was coming, se doesn't live here with us. Frankly, I'm surprised she haven't gone home sooner. The mattress she's been sleeping on must get very uncomfortable in the long run," her words didn't change Lightning's mood. Serah chuckled. "You look like a lost puppy. If you would have looked at her like that, she probably wouldn't have left," Lightning furrowed her brows. She knew that Serah was calling her cute right now, and it didn't really sit right with her. She didn't really relate with the word _cute_. But she said nothing, because she knew that Serah already knew that she got agitated by it.

Serah only chuckled as she continued on her way onwards to the livingroom. "Don't forget to eat breakfast, you won't be any use to her starved," she called over her shoulder.

Lightning sighed and gave the door one last glance before following to Serah's advice.

**... ...**

**xxXxx**

**... ...**

Walking away from Lightning had been one of the hardest things she had done recently. Especially after that warm, wonderful hug. She wanted more of it. In fact, she wanted to step right back in when they pulled apart.

Sighing, she took out her phone and texted LeBreau. She got no reply the whole time she walked home, but it didn't really strike her as odd. LeBreau was not much for texting, so she didn't always reply.

She was about half way home when her shoulder started aching. This reminded her of how long she had stayed with the Farrons. And just thinking that it was just lately that she had stopped joining them for laundry day, she had stayed longer than her used clothes suggested. She had stopped because she was thinking about going home, she knew when she wasn't needed anymore.

The thought made her pout. She would have liked to stay, but she couldn't do that anymore. Fang and LeBreau needed her for the rent of their apartment, and she hadn't helped as much as she felt she should have with the Farron's rent.

Sighing, she opened the door to the apartment complex she lived in. Getting home and sleeping in her own bed would feel good though. The mattress on Serah's floor was okay, but she had been waking up stiff for longer than she preferred. But to be honest, with the recent events, the thought of her going home didn't even cross her mind. She never thought about home when she was with Lightning, because somehow, nothing else mattered. Thinking about it, she had felt that way since long before the event at the beach yesterday.

A blush spread over her cheeks at the thought of it. Everything about it felt unreal to her, like it had occurred in a dream.

"So she's finally returned home," she heard a voice beside her, it startled her and caused her to turn around more quickly than intended. LeBreau was coming from the living room, smiling knowingly at her. "Nice blush you have there, thinking about someone special?" she asked with a chuckle.

Vanille felt her cheeks heat up even more. She didn't know if LeBreau was joking or not, but none the less, it was a subject she rather leave untouched for now. Desperate to change the subject, her eyes darted around the room. "Where's Fang?" she asked and smiled nervously.

"She's out running," LeBreau replied, her malicious smirk broadening. "Are you trying to change the subject?" she chuckled.

Vanille frowned. Knowing how hard it was to lie to the dark haired girl, she decided on saying the truth. "Yes," she mumbled as she lowered her gaze from LeBreau's brown orbs to the floor.

The darker girl's smile turned genuine as she walked up to the redhead and wrapped her arms around her smaller frame. "I'm only teasing you, and you know that. You don't have to tell me anything y'know," with a little squeeze, she distanced herself from the girl. "It's good to have you back 'Nille," she said and flashed her a smile.

Vanille smiled back. "Thanks, I guess I'll go get re-settled in my own room," she said with a soft chuckle before leaving. Hearing LeBreau call after her that she has Fang to thank for the cleaning.

Stepping inside her bedroom, she softly closed the door behind her. It was just as she had left it, all those days ago. The bed was made, her desk was dusted and her floor vacuumed. Although sloppily made, she was happy that she didn't have to come home and clean the first thing she did.

Slowly she started putting her things back where they belonged and tidied up some, and once she finished, she sat down on the bed and took a final look at her room.

Tidy, fresh air from the open window, no Serah, her favorite curtains, her stuffed pink pony that always slept with her, no Lightning, dirty laundry in the basket, and her clean clothes was back in the wardrobe where they were supposed to be.

But no Serah, and no Lightning.

Vanille frowned. Maybe coming home wasn't as nice and cozy as she thought it would be?

**... ...**

**xxXxx**

**... ...**

Lightning sat sloppily on the spot in the couch from where she could see the front door through the living room arch.

A steady frown and knotted eyebrows had marred her face since that morning.

She had honestly expected Vanille to be back by now, expected her to just go home and pick out new clothes before returning. But these four and a half hours of silence told her that she had been wrong.

She sighed for approximately the fifteen hundredth time and poked the television remote with her toe, changing the channel. But not even the sports channel could better her sour mood.

How could she _abandon _her?

How could Vanille pack up and leave her when she finally grew some _balls _and told her —or more like showed her— how she felt?

How could she kiss her only to leave her the next day?

Her hand moved up to gently touch her own lips. Her fingers were far from as warm and soft as Vanille's lips. But the touch caused a tingle in her lips that she had never before felt, a tingle and a want to be connected once more. Removing her hand, her face fell into a scowl again. She felt awful, honestly. She didn't know what to think of this whole mess that she had caused within her own mind.

She knew that Vanille needed to go home, she didn't exactly live here. And she knew that she had no real reason to be angry or disappointed, but she couldn't help it. Vanille had kissed her the night before, pounced at her and kissed her hungrily. A smirk spread across Lightning's lips at the thought. She liked a woman that took charge every once in a while, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the redhead had it within her to take what she wanted in that moment.

To be perfectly honest, it had sparked feelings within her that had been long dead since Jihl took her leave.

An uncharacteristic blush spread on her cheeks. She was really not expecting to experience _that_ kind of tingle just yet.

A happy tune and a silent buzz made its way into her senses.

It was Serah's phone she figured, as Serah answered it. She didn't really know where her own phone was.

Listening to her sister talk, she figured it was Snow. Her sister sounded happy, happy in a way she only where with the Doofus, it seemed. Lightning had always been skeptical of love, —well, at least since Jihl.

Serah, on the other hand, always said that love always found its way to reach you, which Lightning hadn't believed. But listening to her sisters happy laugh, she couldn't help to believe that love was real. And she wondered briefly how she sounded when she talked to Vanille.

A short buzz much closer to herself startled her out of her mulling. Reaching into the pocket of her sweatpants, she found the phone she always seemed to lose track of. She didn't use it much, which is why she got so surprised when it vibrated.

A text message lit up the screen. Unlocking the phone, she found a message from the one that had occupied her mind for almost five hours now.

**Hey! ^_^**

She stared at it, unsure of how to respond. She didn't chat or text much, so she wasn't too comfortable around these smiley faces. A smirk made it onto her lips when she thought back to the time Vanille texted her smileys until she replied.

**... ...**

**xxXxx**

**... ...**

Sweating, she held her phone in both hands and stared at it intently. Vanille hadn't put much thought into it as she sent that text message, but for every second that passed by without a reply, she got increasingly nervous. What if they weren't on _'texting terms' _yet?

Shaking her head, she threw the phone onto the bed and then threw herself down beside it. Massaging her eyelids with her fingers, she scoffed at herself. _'Texting terms', _what the heck does that even mean?

Letting her hands fall down to the sides, she sighed heavily and stared up at the ceiling. She was being silly, worrying about texting her -... her what exactly? Where they even girlfriends?

A heavy blush spread rapidly across her cheeks as her heart skipped a beat at the word. _Girlfriends_. She might have a _girlfriend, _and that _girlfriend_ is... —or might be, if she really want to be— ...is Lightning Farron. _The_ Lightning Farron.

A heat grew in her chest as her tummy somersaulted within her.

Lightning —no, Claire Farron might be _her _girlfriend.

She couldn't keep it in anymore, she rolled around in the bed with a pillow pressed to her face, squealing into it. "Lightning might be my _girlfriend_," she whispered into it.

This was amazing, never could she had thought that someone like Lightning could ever like someone like herself. She was such a goofball, and Lightning was so cool.

"Lightning might be my girlfriend!" she said it out louder this time. She just couldn't believe it. She skipped out of bed, a huge, happy grin plastered on her face as she pirouetted around the room. "I just can't believe it, Lightning Farron, _the_ Lightning Farron might be my _girlfriend_!" hugging the pillow close to her chest, she giggled like a schoolgirl.

A knock on the door startled her so bad she tripped and fell helplessly onto the floor.

"Heh, wops?" Fang poked her head through the small opening in doorway. "Didn't mean ta startle ya, sorry," sure she apologized, but her big grin told Vanille that she was far from regretting startling her. She frowned.

"It's fine," she said with a sigh, figuring that she'd laugh too and therefore didn't have the right to scold the girl. Fang moved over to help her off the floor.

"What are ya so happy 'bout anyway?" she asked with arched eyebrows. "I heard ya mumbling stuff, but didn't hear what through the door."

Vanille blushed, she didn't know if she was ready to tell anyone yet. She didn't really know what they where yet, and telling Fang could prove to be fatal to their relationship. If Fang told Lightning she'd told her —or worse, teased her about it— Lightning might back away from her and she'd never have a shot at whatever was blossoming between them. Swallowing hard, she looked her lifelong friend made roomie in the eyes. "Ah, y'know, just happy being home," she said and smiled nervously, hoping Fang wouldn't notice her lying.

"Oh, haha!" Fang threw her arms around the petite girl and squeezed her tightly. "Well welcome home, happy ta have ya back," she said and patted her back gently before stepping back. "I thought I heard ya talk about Sunshine, guess she's a pain to live with, huh?"

Vanille's ease that her lie had worked vanished in an instant and was immediately replaced with ice cold spreading through her abdomen. Trying to come up with another lie turned futile, so she simply followed Fang's assumption. "Hah, yeah, you'd never guess," she said and her nervous smile came back.

Fang laughed and patted her back. "She can be a real pain just hanging out with her, I'd never survive living with her for weeks!" she laughed some more. "But I guess ya was really there for Serah, huh? She's been good?" the ravenhaired girl asked with a hint of worry on her tone.

Vanille nodded. "Lightning's much better now and Serah's happy again. But it wasn't easy I tell you," she said and frowned.

Fang nodded with a small worried frown of her own. "Well it's good she's gettin' better anyway," she said and smiled instead, squeezing Vanille's shoulder softly. "Anyhow, I'm hittin' the shower. Again, real happy ta have ya back," winking, she turned and left Vanille in her room.

The redhead smiled, happy that she had such wonderful roommates.

A buzz called for her attention, and it took a few moments before she remembered that she texted Lightning previously. Her tummy fluttered as she slowly made her way towards the bed. She wasn't even sure it was Lightning, it might just as well be Serah.

It was Hope.

The flutter died down instantly. Not that she didn't like Hope, she was just expecting a text from Light. Besides, he only asked what that show she had told him about was called, so it wasn't even anything interesting. Sighing, she started typing a reply.

Halfway through, her phone buzzed again and a banner in the top read Lightning's name. The butterflies in her tummy came back to life and she found herself almost trembling nervously as she chose to ignore Hope's message and instead switched over to Lightning's.

**Light-3:**

**Hey. Is it good to be home?**

Seeing the heart after her name didn't help her hearts relentless thundering. Thinking about removing it, she remembered that they where a _thing _now. She didn't know what, but they where definitely _something_. And she was privileged to have a heart at her name.

Smiling to herself, she replied _almost _honestly. She didn't dare say that she already missed both of the Farron sisters company, that would be to embarrassing at this delicate stage of their relationship.

Could she even call it that? A _relationship_?

She was seconds away from sending a text asking what they where, but she scrapped the thought just before her fingers got to work. A day had passed since their ''interaction'' on the beach, she could wait a day more or so.

A buzz in her hand alerted her that Lightning had replied to her message.

**Me:**

**It's nice! ^_^ Fang have cleaned my room while I was gone, so I didn't have to clean as soon as I stepped foot in here!**

**Light-3:**

**Fang cleaned your room? Without you asking? Are you sure she's OK?**

Vanille chuckled softly at this. Sitting down in her bed, she replied to Lightning's text.

**... ... ... ... ...**

Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Serah threw a glance her way before returning her eyes to the book she was reading. Taking it out gingerly, Lightning made sure Serah wasn't ogling her when she read the message.

**Red Head (Serah's Friend):**

She paused right there, figuring that Vanille was worthy a name by now since they too where friends. ...well, they where _something_.

**Red Head (Serah's Friend):**

**Haha! Well she seemed fine, but you never know. Maybe she was Fangnapped by aliens and her brain's been transplanted?! ( ~ ;) How can I tell?!**

Lightnin smirked, Vanille's imagination and was something she had rarely experienced previously. Mostly because people usually kept a straight face and acted serious around her. She usually didn't enjoy people who's conversations spun off and ended up out of this world too much, but Vanille was okay. She kept it on a moderate level.

Replying, she glanced over her whole to see Serah smiling at her knowingly. "What?" she barked and clenched her jaw.

Serah closed the book. "It's Vanille, isn't it?" she asked, and her grin only grew in the same speed that Lightning's cheeks heated up. "I knew it!" Serah exclaimed.

Lightning huffed loudly. "So what?" she asked and turned her eyes from her sister, tapping 'Send'.

"Oh nothing," Serah said and reopened her book. "I was just observing," she chuckled lightly and smiled at her older sister. Who only frowned at her.

**... ... ... ... ...**

A few blocks away, the television played the 5th season of a lighthearted show for teenage girls. But the redheaded teen in the room wasn't looking at the television. And if you listened closely, you could almost heat the heartbeats emanating from the petite girl's chest.

Vanille stared wide eyed at her phone and at the letters that where on her screen.

**Light-3:**

**If you notice anything suspicious, just give me a shout and I'll come running.**

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<em>

_Don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts, it's very much appreciated!  
><em>_Thank you for reading!_


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Hiya!**

I am so damn slow.

But here's the next chapter anyway, it's a bit shorter, but I am hoping to finish the next chapter pretty soon.  
>I'll be going on a road trip for aproximately a week, but I hope I'll have it finished after that!<p>

Please enjoy _Chapter Twenty Two_ of _Fatum Amor!_

* * *

><p>Frustration.<p>

It was the only word that could describe her morning.

She hadn't minded it previously, but how was there ever a time where she could stand Lightning's silence?

The girl hadn't opened her mouth to speak since she came in to the kitchen, and when she did, all she had said was a simple "morning". Not even a "good morning"? Really?

Serah sighed for what seemed to be the five hundredth time in an hour. Leaning her chin on her palm, she reached her elbow out and propped it on the table. Half lying on the table, she groaned.

Lightning finally looked up from the 'Fight Today' magazine and studied Serah silently for a bit. "You do know that the bathroom is available, right?" she deadpanned.

Serah flew up from her seat and stared flames at her sister. "How can you be so calm?" she asked and shook her fists lightly. "I miss her like _crazy_! How can you be so calm, Light?!"

Lightning blinked at her sudden reaction, that to her, seemed illogical. "I'm not sure I follow..." she mumbled quietly. "I'm guessing this is not about your bathroom break then?"

Serah threw her hands up in defeat and groaned loudly. "I don't need to go to the bathroom! I miss Vanille!" she frowned at her sister. "Don't you?"

Lightning now seemed to understand what her previous behavior came from. And at the mention of the redhead's name, her posture seemed to deflate a bit. "She's only been out for like a week," she mumbled quietly as her eyes returned to her magazine. But she didn't seem to read.

Serah sighed once again. "But you miss her too, don't you?"

Lightning said nothing.

"Don't yoouu?" Serah pried.

"Heavens, Serah. What do you want me to say?" Lightning frowned deeply when she looked up, slapping her magazine against the tabletop.

"I want you to say yes! Or no, I don't know —just be honest!" Serah frowned back.

Lightning's lips thinned out into a straight line as she regarded her younger sibling in silence. Serah stared defiantly back at her, determined to get her to tell the truth.

Lightning blinked and seemed to think for a few heartbeats, before shrugging indifferently and going back to read her magazine.

Groaning loudly, Serah stood up from the table and put her teacup in the sink. "I know that you like her, dummy. Maybe if you hadn't let her kiss you the other day, I might've been fooled by your silent treatment," she said as she walked out of the room, leaving Lightning silently staring down into her magazine.

Glancing up at the empty doorway, Lightning's face turned to a scowl, as she defiantly tried to tell herself she didn't miss the quirky redhead.

**...**

**... ...**

**xxXxx**

**... ...**

**...**

**I miss you! I miss you so bad!**

At first, her heart skipped a beat before it started pounding, but that was before she noticed that it was Serah who texted her.

Taking a few seconds to calm her heart, she blushed heavily at herself. She knew that she wanted to see those words from /her/, because heaven knows how much she wanted to be close to her right now and how empty and large the kitchen table seemed when she sat there alone.

Sighing, she picked up her phone and replied to Serah's desperate text. She had only been away from them for one night, it seemed weird to her that she missed them as much as she did. She had no problem sleeping away from her roomies, and she was friends with them as well. No, somehow, the Farron sisters made her feel differently about everything when she spent time with them.

It was as if she had grown into their home to become something like a third sister.

Blinking at herself, she frowned, she didn't want to think of herself as a third sister. That would make hers and Lightning's relationship —or whatever to call it— weird.

"But it already is, though, isn't it?" she mumbled. She didn't even know what to call them anymore, because they where clearly not just friends. Friends doesn't really kiss each other on the mouth, do they?

She shook her head slowly. She couldn't remember anyone she called friend who she had wanted to kiss on the mouth, except Lightning, and Malqui a long time back.

If their relationship wasn't weird, then it was odd at the least.

Her phone vibrated, picking it up, she saw Serah's name light the screen.

**Serah F!:**

**Hehe that's cute, but I think you're talking to the wrong person, amirite? ;D**

Vanille blinked and looked at her previous reply;

**Me:**

**Miss you too! I can't stop thinking about you!**

She wanted to smack herself, how was she supposed to explain herself now?

**...**

**... ...**

**xxXxx**

**... ...**

**...**

Lightning sighed, but a smirk decorated her facial features none the less. There was only one person that knocked on their door instead of using the electronic bell.

"Hello, Fang," she said, as the door swooped open to reveal her long time friend.

"Hello there Sunshine, how are ya doing?" she asked, mirroring Lightnings confident smirk.

"I've seen better days, but you know, also worse," she joked dryly. Fang's smirk simply widened in amusement, but they both knew that what had transpired was no laughing matter.

Regarding each other in silence for a while, Fang finally broke it by clearing her throat and shuffling her feet. "So I was actually out for a jog, an I was thinkin' that you'd need some gettin' out the house, y'know," she said and smiled genuinely.

Smiling back at her, Lightning nodded. "Let me just tell Serah and get my shoes," she said and turned her back to the door.

Peeking through the arch to the living room, Serah was too deep inside her phone to notice her before she started speaking. "I'm going out," she informed, Serah looked up a bit startled at her "sudden" appearance.

"What? Alone?" she looked a bit concerned before Lightning shook her head.

"Fang's here, I'm going out with her," she said. "I'll be back later."

Serah nodded. "Okay. Take care of her for me, Fang!" she called out to the hallway, hearing Fang chuckle. "Since when have I /not/ taken care of her?" she replied. "Sunshine 'ere wouldn't have much of her pretty appearance left if it wasn't for yours truly!" a heartily laughter filled their home.

Lightning rolled her eyes before exiting the living room towards the hallway. Serah chuckled lightly before getting back to her phone.

**... ...**

**xxXxx**

**... ...**

**Serah F!:**

**Your friend just came and stole your girlfriend. :p**

Vanille blinked, she had been in the middle of trying to think of an answer or explanation for the previous message.

_Who stole Lightning?_ she though. A sting in her chest that she couldn't explain pained her. The feeling was so sudden it kept her oblivious to the fact that Serah had called Lightning her girlfriend.

**Me:**

**What do you mean? ( o~o )**

Pressing send, she looked up and met the reflection of herself in the mirror of her makeup desk. She was frowning deeply with a tiny wrinkle between her eyebrows. Her expression changed to that of surprise at the serious and somber expression.

The sting in her chest was still there, it was pulsating slowly and stinging her again and again. She didn't really know what this meant, it was something new. She recognized it somehow from earlier experiences, but this was not like those times, this sting was different.

Her heart skipped in surprise as her phone buzzed in the palm of her hand. Releasing herself from her own gaze, she unlocked the phone.

**Serah F!:**

**Just that Fang came by to take Lightning for a walk. ( ^-^ )**

Relief filled her and vaporized the stinging. She snickered lightly.

**Me:**

**You make her sound like a puppy! (^w^)**

**...**

**... ...**

**xxXxx**

**... ...**

**...**

"I kinda know the answer, but how ya been?"

They were seated on a beach table with their feet resting on the seats, looking out over the orange sky that made the slow waves glow golden as they rolled up against the stretchy beaches that Bodhum was widely known for.

Lightning smirked and shrugged. "I've felt better," she said and leaned on her hands. "But there were several times when I though I was a goner," she added and watched Fang's cheerful expression falter slightly. The dark haired girl's eyes averted from the rolling golden waves to the light sand beneath the bench.

"I wish ya would've called me," Fang muttered. "I was worried sick once I learned ya ended up in the hospital, ya nut," she said, a sad smirk played on her lips. "If it wasn't for Vanille, I'd never known what happened to ya," she said and turned her eyes to Lightning.

The pinkette could see the emotion inside of them, even through the golden light that they mirrored from the waves. She sighed.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I have had other things on my mind, but you're right —I should have called you," she frowned slightly. Feeling guilty about hurting Fang.

Fang's smirk turned into a grin. "It's quite alright, what does it matter now when yer alright anyway?" she said and shrugged. "Yer kind of an inconsiderate ass, but ya'know, I'm glad yer okay," she said and rested her elbows on her knees.

Lightning stared at her. Sitting up, she reached her hand out and pinched Fang's ear, making the girl squeal in pain. "What do you mean I'm kind of an inconsiderate ass?" she asked with a chill in her voice.

Fang only laughed at the irritated scowl she was wearing. "That's the girl I know," she chuckled as Lightning released her ear to cross her arms with a huff. Fang rubbed her ear, still chuckling as she did so.

The sun was setting by now, and the orange sky had turned pink and dark. Lightning eyed the sky phenomenon and sighed. "I should head home before Serah gets worried," she said and hopped off the table. Turning around, she was met with Fang's warm smile directed towards her.

The raven haired woman looked away, still smiling. "Yeah I should head home too," she said and hopped off the table as well. "Not that I have a sister getting worried for me, but y'know, I'm not too fond of losin' sleep," her warm smile turned into a grin as she lifted her hand. And waved at the pinkette. "See ya around and talk to ya soon."

With that, she turned around and walked off towards her home.

Lightning looked after her friend, a warm smile of her own upon her lips. She had missed Fang without realizing it, she could feel it now that they had talked for hours.

Coming home, it was already dark. As she stepped inside, she stood silently in the hall for a while, listening. She heard absolutely nothing, their home was completely silent, save for the footsteps that was coming towards her.

"Where have you been?"

Serah came into view with a deep frown on her face. "I've called you several times already," putting her hands on her hips, she awaited Lightning's response.

"I'm sorry," the older pinkette began. "We were talking and lost track of time."

Serah kept her face serious for a while, before se sighed and smiled weakly. "Okay, I guess. There's som food left in the kitchen if you're hungry," she jabbed her thumb towards the kitchen before walking back into the living room. Lightning could hear the television now, and wondered why she didn't hear it previously.

Instead of grabbing something to eat, Lightning opted to go to her room instead. Laying down in her bed and staring up at the ceiling, it struck her how long ago it had been since she last laid down like this. When the redhead lived with them, she would spend time with her and Serah instead of lying here alone.

A frown tugged at her lip.

Sitting up in her bed, the scene where Vanille had told her of her feelings replayed in her mind. The way she nervously fidgeted with her hands, her eyes that darted everywhere, her pink cheeks, it all brought a smile to her lips.

However, the next part of the same memory shattered her smile and the warm feelings inside of her. /I don't do dating/ she repeated in her mind. Those words could have cost her a whole lot, if she had been unable to reach Vanille once she left.

Her mind then rushed to their kiss, and her insides somersaulted. Reaching up, she gently touched her lower lip with careful digits. The touch sent static energy through her lips and down her chest, and awoke the millions of butterflies that had inhabited her insides for a few weeks now.

Swiftly removing her hand, she bit her lip. Words were poking in the back of her mind, but she wasn't sure she was ready to say them, or even think them yet.

It might be silly though, not being able to confess to harboring such simple and perfectly normal feelings. Sighing heavily, she rubbed her heated cheeks.

A knock at the door pulled her attention from her mulling and internal struggle. Serah poked her head inside with a worried scowl.

"Claire, I couldn't help to notice you didn't take any foo—"

"I miss her."

Serah blinked. "What?"

Lightning bit the inside of her lip. "I-," her eyebrows tilted upwards on their own and it irritated her. "I miss her," she said weakly. "You wanted me to be honest this morning, so there you go," she added in a mumble.

Serah stared at her in silence for a few heartbeats, before her face broke into a loving smile.

"I knew it," the younger pinkette said, earning an embarrassed glance from her sister. "I just wanted to hear it from you," she added with a wider smile. "Please eat something," she sent her a pleading look before leaving the room.

Lightning sat in silence.

Lowering her eyes to look at her lap, she sighed. She would be no use to anyone if she didn't eat, even though she didn't really feel like it.

In the other room, Serah was in the process of writing a text message to Fang. _Lightning needs to see Vanille,_ she stated, she could see it in her sister's eyes. _She needs to see her and if I'll have to use Fang as an excuse then so be it,_ she smirked at herself as she typed: "ask Vanille if she wants to come with!"

**...**

**... ...**

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><p><em>Pzzt! Please don't forget to review!<em>


	23. Chapter Twenty-Tree

**Hiya!**

I have decided to upload this even though I am uncertain of what I think of it!  
>It bothers me that I have a hard time to produce lately (pffft try "all the time, BB")<p>

Anyhow, I hope you guys like it!

_I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this fic. They are all property of Square Enix and I am merely borrowing them for my own amusement. I know you all know this, but I feel kinda obligated to put this here._

Without further ado, please enjoy Chapter _Twenty Three_ of _Fatum Amor!_

* * *

><p>The doorbell rang, and Serah trotted excitedly towards the door.<br>Lightning came after her into the hallway as Serah opened the door to reveal Vanille and Fang right outside. Squealing, Serah threw her arms around her redheaded friend and hugged her tightly.

"Oi," Fang said and grinned. "So this is what happens when ya don't see each other for a week," she said and chuckled at the younger girls. Shifting her gaze to the older Farron, she gave her a short nod and another grin. "Oi Sunshine," she stuck her hand up in a greeting, that Lightning only replied to with a nod.

"Good morning," she said as she bent down to tie her sneakers.

"Good morning Lightning."

Lightning flinched, but played it off and continued to tie her shoelaces. Standing up, she looked at Vanille who was smiling sweetly up at her. "Good morning, Vanille," she said, and both of their cheeks colored at this.

Fang and Serah was looking between the two, the Farron with an excited expression with her hands clasped together underneath her chin, and Yun Fang with a confused expression. "Oi—" she had just raised her hand to ask them what was going on, when the younger Farron sibling had grasped her arm, pulled it back down, and was now furiously shaking her head at her. Blinking at her, she caught Serah's drift. Shifting her gaze to the other girls, she was met with curious gazes from them both. Swallowing, she raised her hand once again. "O-oi, uh, ya wanna get ice cream or something at the beach?" she asked and bit the inside of her lip, hearing Serah smack her forehead lightly.

Lightning stared at her. "Isn't that kind of contra productive since we're doing this to exercise?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.  
>Fang bit down harder on her lip. <em>Shit, ya smart bugger, <em>she started sweating nervously. "Yer right," she said after a moment of silence. "Pardon me," she said and hid her raised hand behind her neck, rubbing it in an embarrassed manner.

Lightning narrowed her brows at her, but seemed to shrug it off as she turned to the door. "Everyone ready?" she asked and glanced at each and every one of them, her gaze lingering slightly on the redhead.

All of them nodded, and as they went outside, Fang shot several confused looks at Serah.

**... ... ...**  
><strong>xxXxx<br>... ... ...**

"I'm so happy she's on her way back," Serah sighed as she watched her sister bounce over waves with Fang. "Me too," Vanille chimed in as she too watched the older girls play around.

Serah and Vanille was standing at the edge of the water, letting the gentle waves roll over their feet, while Lightning and Fang was off a bit further up the beach. The older girls had been jogging back and forth in a slow fashion when Fang started bouncing over waves, her landing caused water to splash onto Lightning and soon enough they were both bouncing around in a competition to splash the other by stomping.

Serah chuckled at them, not being used to seeing Lightning relax enough to play around. Her older sister usually thought Fang to be rather childish, and would complain about it. Serah always waved it off and told Light that she should be more of a child herself.

Beside her, Vanille was watching the girls play with a fond smile. This side of Lightning was new to her, and she hoped that she would see more of it soon.

"She's pretty, isn't she?"

Vanille didn't think, she only nodded, blushing lightly.

"Can you believe she's yours?"

Again, Vanille didn't think but just shook her head.

Before blinking.

Blushing madly, she turned to Serah, who was looking at her with a mischievous grin. "Wh-what are you saying all of a sudden?!" she shrieked. Pulling both the older girl's attention to herself.

Fang and Lightning stared at her, but when she didn't say anything they shrugged and got back to exercising.

Serah chuckled. "Calm down, I was just playing around!" she laughed.

But Vanille's blush didn't go away, and even after several quiet minutes, her face was still furiously red. Despite this, she felt a need to clarify things to Serah. "We're, um, she's no really mine, y'know," she said lowered her gaze to the wet sand underneath her feet, stroking her arm gingerly.  
>Serah's grin faltered, and she looked to Vanille with surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked as a crease appeared between her eyebrows. <em>What does she mean she's not hers? What kind of a relationship do they have then?<em>

Vanille sighed. But said nothing.

Behind them, Lightning wand Fang was having a push-ups contest.

Serah looked at her friend with worry now. "Vanille, what is going on between you two?"

The redhead squirmed a bit and looked back up at the pinkette. After a moment of quiet contemplation, she seemed to make up her mind and sighed deeply.

"I don't know what is going on between us," she replied honestly, but her answer didn't calm Serah one bit. "I know I like her, and I think she likes me," she continued, and pulled at her own fingers as she seemed to choose her words. "But y'know, I've never been in a relationship before, I've never actually been with someone I've liked," she said and her blush came back despite only recently fading. "I haven't had a serious relationship ever, I have only had kinder garden relationships y'know," she said and eyed Serah worriedly. "I don't know how these things work, like, am I supposed to ask her if we're together? Or are we already together? Or are we just playing around? I know nothing," she frowned deeply and turned to Serah when she finished her little speech.

The pinkette was smiling dearly at Vanille. "You know, if you have that many questions running through your mind, maybe you guys should talk about it?" she asked and raised her eyebrows at Vanille. "She's not that good at talking about her feelings, but she'll definitely give you an answer to how she feels if you ask her. She would never be rude or send you away," she said and put her hand on the redheads shoulder, squeezing it gently.

Vanille smiled weakly. "Yeah," she said and sighed.

"Or you know, I could always ask for you," Serah said and grinned. Vanille's cheeks turned crimson again as she waved her arms in front of her frantically. "What, no! No need for that!" she hissed.

Serah chuckled and turned around. "Oh Light—"

Lightning and Fang were doing burpees.

"Lightning!" Serah barked and stomped towards them.

Fang and Lightning turned to them, red faced with exhaustion. Lightning's knees buckled then and she fell down to the ground, landing on her behind. Fang chuckled at her, to which the pinkette shot her a warning glare.

"What do you think you are doing?" Serah scolded worriedly. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt? Can you stand?" she asked as she fussed over her sister.

"Serah, stop it," Lightning said when she swatted Serah's fussing arms away. "I'm fine, just a bit weak since I haven't worked out in a long time," she said and frowned at her sister. "Geez, I'm not made of glass," she added under her breath.

Serah sighed, but said nothing.

Despite being worried and a bit upset with Lightning for her irresponsible behavior considering her recent illness, Vanille was glad that Serah had forgotten about their conversation earlier. She only hoped that nothing would remind her of it later.

Lightning ignored Fang's outstretched hand, and got up on her feet on her own. Dusting of her pants, she looked at her sister, who was still wearing a worried scowl. She sighed. "I'm fine, it doesn't hurt, and yes I can stand," she said and put her fists to her sides.

Serah smiled up at her, before taking a step forward and embracing her surprised sister.

The group of girls continued on their stroll down the beach. There were still a few hours until sundown, so leaving the pleasant sunlight just yet seemed silly.

Serah was happily chatting with Vanille when she heard Fang's voice.

"So what's goin' on with ya and 'Nille, Sunshine?"

Ice settled in her stomach for a split second, before she excused herself from Vanille's side. Turning her head around and slowing down, she glanced at the older pair of girls.

Lightning was blushing furiously and was slowly inching away from Fang, who was walking with her hands behind her back and eyes directed towards the water. Thus not seeing the other girl's reaction.

Serah stopped and ended up beside Lightning. Taking her hand gently, she smiled at her sister and told her to go chat with Vanille. The still blushing girl nodded shortly and hurried over to the redhead.

Serah opted to walk beside Fang. Who just now noticed Lightning's presence at Vanille's side. A bit thrown off, she turned and looked to her left, noticing Serah there, smiling up at her.

"Oi sorry there, mistook ya for yer sister," she said and grinned at the younger Farron sibling.  
>Serah nodded. "That's quite alright," she said and turned her gaze forwards, to the girl's in front of them. "I'll tell you the answer to your question, Fang, if you promise me something first?"<p>

The sun was starting to come down now, illuminating all of them in an orange and golden light. Serah smiled at the little interactions that Lightning and Vanille had. She couldn't hear what their conversation was about, but judging by the smiles on their faces and the slightest of touches they shared every now and then, she could at least make out that they were having a pleasant time together.

"Sure thing, Serah," Fang replied, she didn't see the other pair though, because her gaze was directed at younger pinkette.  
>Serah smiled fondly at the couple in front of them. "Promise me that you'll say nothing to anyone, the situation is delicate and a simple word can tear all of this apart."<br>Fang blinked, perplexed, but nodded and leaned in as Serah started explaining the situation.

**... ... ...  
>xxXxx<br>... ... ...**

They were closing in on the Farron's apartment complex just as the sun was setting in the distance. Seemingly lying down in the ocean for the night.

Vanille felt her heart sink with every step she took that lead them closer to the doors that would swoop open and swallow both the girl that was currently walking beside her, and her best friend who was happily chatting with Fang a bit further ahead. Lightning has been wonderful this evening, and something truly was different about her today.

She had spoken casually and easily with her, seemingly in a good mood.

Vanille glanced up at the girl she both admired and loved in awe. Awestruck by the fact that Lightning was totally relaxed around her, and seeing her act like she did today had made her heart flutter more than normally.

She wanted Lightning to laugh like when she was playing around with Fang, to smile as breathtakingly like she had done when she came up to her and started talking to her after Serah lagged behind, and she wanted to see her relaxed and just acting like there was nothing to worry about.

A jolt shot through her body once she realized that Lightning was staring right back at her, embarrassed, she looked away. Her cheeks heated up as she silently wondered how long they had been staring at each other.

Too soon, they reached the apartment complex where Serah and Lightning lived. Vanille frowned and looked up at the building.

"Thank you for hanging out with us today," Serah said and smiled at them both. Vanille tried to smile back, but it felt fake. She didn't want to leave them, not now!

"Let's do this again sometime," Fang smiled at them and waved. "We should get moving before it gets completely dark," she said and looked up at the sky, the stars was starting to show.

"Okay, bye," Serah said and waved at them, before her eyes fell on Vanille and her smile faltered. However, Fang had already started walking and so the redhead soon turned around and followed her.

"Not going inside?"

She turned to her older sister that was pointing at the apartment entrance.

"Didn't you see how upset she was?"

Lightning blinked.

Serah facepalmed. "Lightning! Vanille looked really sad! The least you can do is hug her goodbye, dammit!" she pointed in the direction to where the other two girls had walked off and Lightning took her drift.

The older Farron started jogging after Fang and Vanille, and turning the corner, she could see them only a few feet from her.

"Vanille!" she called out, and the redhead spun around immediately and the sound of her voice. Her face broke into a smile, a smile that had grown to mean so much to Lightning.

When she finally reached her, she slithered her arms in underneath the petite redhead's arms and did as Serah had told her to do. She held the girl close to her and even lifted her off her feet when she stood up to her full length. Vanille giggled and wrapped her own arms around Lightning's neck. The pinkette could feel goosebumps appear on her neck from the sound of Vanille's happy laughter, and held her even closer.

After a while, she set the girl down on her feet, Lightning flashed her one of her rare smiles, before slowly bending down and pecking her on the cheek. "See you soon, okay?" she whispered, before standing back up. With a last wave at Fang, and a quick glance and another smile at Vanille, Lightning turned around and jogged back home.

Leaving Vanille dreamily staring after her with her palm on her cheek. Her lips curled into a smile and she bounced happily on the spot for a few seconds, before turning around to resume walking with Fang. Only to be met by a knowing smile. "What?" she asked, trying to look as if nothing had just happened.

"You two are adorable," Fang said and snickered.

"Shut it!"

Vanille could feel her whole face burn.

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><p><em>Pzzt!<br>Don't forget to review, please!  
>Thank you for reading!<em>


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

**Hiya!**

I hope you haven't missed me all too terribly._  
><em>Though I do suppose you have since I am very, _very, _slow at updating this...

Just know that I do appreciate all of you reading this, following this, and especially you guys who take your time to leave me nice review. Thank you all very much!

I'm not gonna keep talking here, so just let's get to it.

_Eveyone knows I don't own this because things would have been very different if I did._

Now, please enjoy _Chapter twenty-four_ of _Fatum Amor_!

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><p>"Hey, are you okay?"<p>

Serah asked and turned in her seat, eyeing her sibling with worry as she stumbled across the room towards the kitchen.

"I am fine," Lightning replied through her clenched teeth.

Serah's brows knotted above her ocean blue eyes as she watched the older Farron sibling limp around while preparing her tea. The older girl leaned on the counter and waited for the water to boil, and it was evident that she was trying to use her legs as little as possible. When she had finally and painstakingly managed to get her tea together, she turned to walk out into the living room, finally meeting Serah's worried gaze that had been resting on her this entire time. Her eyebrows knotted just like her younger sister's.

"I am fine, geez, Serah," she mumbled as she put more effort into walking, trying to make it look normal.

"Whatever you say..." Serah mumbled.

Lightning's face soured.

Instead of making her way over to sit with Serah in their couch, she made her way to her room, and shut the door tightly behind her. Serah had her eyes on the door for quite a while after her sister had disappeared behind it.

Looking back into her book, she sure hoped that her sister knew what she was doing.

**... ...**

The following few days, Lightning was working out a little bit every day.

It made Serah worried, but she couldn't really stop her. So she opted for keeping an eye on her at least.

She was happily surprised to see that she was indeed improving, and never really had a relapse. She was just a bit more sore than before her sickness.

Serah often thought back to before, when she would watch Lightning work out, and the older girl would often ask her for help.

She remembered a time where Lightning had said that her pushups had become ineffective, and that she didn't want to do over a hundred before she got the burn she was looking for. She had then asked Serah if she could sit on her back, to which Serah had said yes of course.

Thinking of it brought a smile to her lips, looking above the magazine in her hands, she rested her eyes on her sister doing pushups. She could silently hear her mumble '55, 56, 57'.

**... ... ...**  
><strong>... ...<strong>  
><strong>xxXxx<strong>  
><strong>... ...<strong>  
><strong>... ... ...<strong>

Her fingers reached up and softly touched her cheek.

It had been about two weeks, and Serah had told her that Lightning was making great progress while working out.

This made her smile as she retracted her hand and resumed playing her video game.

Vanille wanted Lightning to go back to the way she used to be, the strong girl that she had fallen for without realizing it. She wanted to watch her sprint across the beach like she used to, to use the beach gym like she used to.

The thought of a sweaty Lightning on the beach, drying her forehead with her tshirt only to reveal her abs, brought a strange sensation to the base of her stomach. She felt her face burn and immediately paused the game to cover her face with her hands. She giggled and shook her head to get rid of the images.

"Stop it," she mused as she resumed playing. Her wide grin and the images stayed however, and they were still on her mind later that night when she was in her bed, trying to sleep.

Vanille frowned and narrowed her eyebrows at the ceiling. Her gut had been softly burning all day, and she felt.. weird.

The images that had been floating about in her mind had been joined by other images of Lightning. For example, one especially frustrating image; Lightning in a bikini top and trunks, turning to look her way, a mischievous smirk curling her lip, and a teasing wink.  
>It played on her mind, and she could feel her face, as well as the core of her stomach, heat up. She sighed in frustration and crossed her legs tightly, she wasn't used to this, this was new to her. Sure, she had felt kinda like this before, but not this intense. Crossing her legs helped, but that was only until her sleepy mind imagined running her fingers over Lightning's toned stomach.<p>

_I'm allowed to do that now._

As soon as the thought crossed her min, her lunges pushed out all of the air they had in them. She gasped loudly and felt something she didn't even dare thinking about 'downstairs'.

This was embarrassing, was it okay for her to get so worked up over Lightning when the pinkette didn't know about it?

Vanille didn't know. She didn't know how a serious relationship worked. Would it be okay for her to.. —she blushed deeply and dared not finish the through.

Sitting up in bed, she sighed, her exhale was heavy with frustration.

She was throbbing now, her body telling her that she needed a release. Vanille however, knew that it would go away soon, she could just wait it out like she had done before. She bit her lip and tried not to squirm as the throbbing continued.

Glancing at the clock, she was happy that she had nothing planed for tomorrow as it read 02:21.

Sighing again, she laid back down and shoved her face in her pillow with a scowl and a frustrated moan.

**... ...**  
><strong>...<strong>  
><strong>xxXxx<strong>  
><strong>...<strong>  
><strong>... ...<strong>

"Funny, I can't get a hold of Vanille..." Serah mumbled as she reread the text she had sent this morning. It wasn't even viewed yet. "Vanille don't usually neglect her phone like this..." she said and sighed as she put it back in her pocket.

"Why are you worried?" Lightning asked, pausing her shadow boxing for a second to look at her sister.

The younger sibling sighed. "I don't know, it's just an out of the ordinary thing to do for Vanille," she said with a shrug.

"Well, maybe she's sleeping," Lightning replied absently as she went back into her fighting stance. Her fists made small swing noises as she started working through some simple punching combinations, not so much for strength or endurance training, but more so to try and remember and working on the techniques.

"Well that's also out of the ordinary, if that's the case," Serah retorted and sighed yet again.

"Just call her dammit, or text Fang and ask where she's at," Lightning said, pausing briefly, before she went back to swinging her fists against an imaginary foe.

Serah grumbled for a bit, before taking out her phone. "How are you feeling by the way?" she asked as she composed a text message to Fang. "You've been working out almost constantly for a week now," the younger pinkette glanced up at her sister. "I can't say that I'm not a tad bit worried," she mumbled.

Lightning finished a combination of punches with a roundhouse kick, before turning to her younger sibling. Sweat trickled down her temple and was ultimately soaked up by her hooded shirt. "I'm fine. I haven't made as much progress as I wish I had, but other than that, I am fine," she shrugged. "I'm gonna hit the shower," she said and walked off, throwing a towel over her shoulder on her way over to the bathroom.

"Okay, tell me if you need anything," Serah called after her.

**... ...**

Closing the door behind her, Lightning immediately sunk to her knees, her breaths were in the form of short gasps and she was surprised that her legs had held her upright all the way to the bathroom. For what felt like an eternity, she sat on her knees trying to catch her breath. When she finally managed to do so, she slowly got to her feet. Proceeding to remove her clothing, all the while trying to tell herself that this was just because she was unused to working out.

As she pulled the hooded shirt over her head, she stopped to look herself in the mirror.

What she saw was a girl standing in grey sweatpants and a marine sports bra, with muscles starting to define themselves. As well as large bruises forming at the muscle hold of her shoulders and beneath her breasts and on her ribs on the right side.

The air in her lunges left her as she let her eyes wander across the purple-bluish skin. Her chest contracted as she held back a sob. Reaching up and covering her mouth with her hands, her mind raced back to when it all began, with the huge bruises covering her torso. It then wandered to the day she had collapsed, to the seizures she used to have and the painful treatments at the hospital.

Slowly, she sank back down to her knees. Several heavy sobs shook her body. She couldn't go through that again, she just couldn't. She couldn't put Serah through that again, or Fang, or Vanille.

Her heart throbbed hard against her chest. She couldn't go back to her weak state again, she couldn't go through almost dying one more time. And what if she actually did? There was so much left she had yet to experience, there was so much left that she wanted to do!

She sagged with her face pressed against the palms of her hands and fought hard to keep her sobs quiet.

"Lightning?!"

The pinkette froze. She had forgotten to lock the bathroom door.

"Oh my goodness, Light!"

She could hear Serah's voice break.

"We have to call Dr. Phoenix!"

She heard her younger sibling stammer before her steppes disappeared down the hall and left her on the floor.

Lightning didn't remove her hands. She didn't sit up straight. She just kept her face in her palms, slouching down over her knees. She had no idea how long she had been on the floor when Serah came back, it could have been forever, it could have been mere moments. But eventually, she heard the younger girl sit down on the floor and then slide over, before she felt a pair of arms hug her hunched over form.

"I called Dr. Phoenix, you have o come in straight away," Serah mumbled with her face against Lightning's shoulder blade. "So I called Snow, he's coming over to pick us up," her voice trailed off, but Lightning heard her mumble that he had gotten a license and his work car got upgraded so all of them could go.

Lightning sighed deeply, unable to think about anything to say.

Serah also sat in silence for a while, before she lifted her face from Lightning's shoulder blade. "Do you want me to call Vanille?" Serah asked weakly.

Lightning failed to produce her an answer, so she did what she though was best.

**... ...**

"You are not being serious right now!" she laughed.

"Sure thing, 'Nille!"

"He does not earn a million a month for making videos and posting them on the internet," Vanille stared skeptically at Fang.

"He sure does," Fang said and grinned back. "Have you seem how many follower his channel has?" she asked and pointed at the screen.

Vanille almost spit out her drink. Swallowing it swiftly, she put her cup down. "26 million?!" she shrieked through the stray liquid in her throat.

A up beat melody started playing in her pocket. "It's Serah," she said when she looked at the screen, grabbing her cup, she left the room. Making sure to be somewhat out of earshot, she pressed answer. "Hi Serah!"

She was greeted by silence.

Vanille furrowed her brows, could it be that it was a pocket dial?

"Serah are you there?" she asked uncertainly.

A sigh could be heard, but it didn't calm Vanille at all, Serah sounded troubled.

"The bruises are back," Serah croaked.

"What? What are you—" Vanille froze, the bruises are back. Serah was tanking about Lightning. The cup she had in her hand fell to the floor and shattered, spilling the remnants of her lemonade all over the kitchen floor.

The bruises are back.

Her eyes watered as she ignored Fang that came rushing out of her room asking what was going on, Vanille pushed past her and dashed to the hall, still with her phone pressed to her ear. "I'm coming Serah," Vanille said as she struggled to put on her shoes with one hand. "I'll be there in a bit," she sniffed, waiting for Serah's confirming hum before she hung up.

Her tears was spilling down her cheeks now and it made it harder for her to see what she was doing. She ended up sitting down, and still struggled with the stupid laces.

"'Nille!"

She glared up at Fang, who jerked back a bit at the intensity behind the stare.

"Vanille," she spoke softer now. "What's wrong?"

Vanille didn't reply, she just directed her glare at her shoe laces and sniffed quietly to herself and continued tugging at them.

Fang sighed. Kneeling down, she gently pushed Vanille's fiddling hands away and tied her shoelaces for her. Glancing up at the younger teen, she frowned worriedly. "Sweetie pie, what's wrong?" she asked and put her hand on top of Vanille's.

Vanille hiccuped. "L-Lightning got her b-bruises back," she managed through sobs.

The color in Fang's face drained. "What?"

Vanille nodded. "I gotta go over there," she sniffed and stood up. Fang immediately tore her shoes out of the shoe stand and put them on. "What are you doing?" Vanille sniffed.  
>"She's my friend too y'know, I'm also goin'," she said and stood up straight, reaching her hand out in an offer to help the younger redhead up.<p>

Accepting Fang's hand, Vanille allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Feeling Fang press her hand gently against her back, she was guided out the open door.

"LeBreau, there's a mess in the kitchen! We gotta go tho! Bye!" Fang called.

Further in the apartment, they could hear LeBreau's voice. "What was that?"

But they didn't wait, and just as she stepped into their field of view and shot them a quizzical look, the door closed.

**... ...**

"Hey sis, how are you doing?"

"I'm not your sister."

Snow grinned. "Glad to see you're okay, then, given the circumstances," he said, to which Lightning smirked.

Serah came up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled his jacket.

now nervously eyed Lightning, she didn't seem tense as she watched them, so he shakily dared wrapping his arms around his shorter girlfriend.

Lightning snorted and rolled her eyes before turning around to grab her hoodie.

The lift had been out of order for a week now, so they had to take the stairs. Snow made sure to stay by Lightning's side and supported her with his arm. He didn't know what was going on, but Lightning was moving slowly and made pained faces with every step she took so he decided on holding her arm. And eventually, she had stopped struggling and just accepted his chivalry with a deep sigh.

As they got further down, Lightning's face changed and she looked sad. Snow frowned and studied her face, but she didn't look at him. She threw a glance at her sister swiftly, before looking back down at her feet.

"I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience. I'm sure you have more important things to tend to," she mumbled.

"What, no, it's okay. Anything for family, you know," Snow assured her. "My boss understands, and he gave me time off,"he added and focused on getting her down the few steps that remained safely. Thus missing the appreciative glance she gave him.  
>"Here we go," Serah said weakly as she opened the door and held it open for the other two.<p>

"The silver one is mine," Snow said as they exited the apartment complex.

Lightning scoffed and shot him a look. "I think we had that figured out already," she said and motioned towards the decorative pizza box on the roof.

Snow visibly reddened. "I was just... making sure," he stammered and cleared his throat, and stepped up in front of her to continue with his chivalry act by opening the door for her. His other hand was still on Lightning's back so she wouldn't be left fending for herself against the evening winds.

She moved to step inside the car, but a call made her halt. Looking up, she saw Fang and— most importantly —Vanille come running towards her.

Vanille sped up when they met eyes, and when she reached her, the petite redhead slammed into her so hard Lightning involuntarily mad to lean against Snow for support.  
>Vanille had her arms wrapped tightly around her waist and had her face hidden in the crook of her neck. She was slowly rubbing her face against the fabric of Lightning's grey hoodie, as sobs shook her small frame.<p>

Lightning blinked, surprised at the younger girl's reaction, before she slowly wrapped her arms around the shorter girl. Rubbing her back gently, she threw a glance at her sister. Serah was looking at her friend with sympathy written all over her features.

"How are you doing?"

Lightning directed her gaze towards her friend. Fang was chewing the inside of her lip, obviously worried for her. Guilt filled her then, that she had no though of calling her to let her know this time around either. For this reason she was happy that Fang came with Vanille.

"I'm alright," she answered truthfully. "I'm a bit sore, but you know..." she heard the redhead strangle a yelp before holding her even tighter. She sighed lightly. "What would you expect when you relapse?" she said and felt Vanille start shivering in her arms. Fang's eyebrows tilted upwards and her chewing ceased.

They all stood in silence, contemplating Lightning's words and what would happen now. The only audible thing was small sniffles emerging from both Serah and Vanille. After a while, Snow cleared his throat gently.

"Uhh, the doc wanted you in asap, right?"

Lightning nodded.

"Let us go then," he said, his voice not far from cracking. He couldn't imagine what Serah must be feeling right now since he himself felt rather beat by all of this, and it pained him greatly knowing the possible outcome of this evening.

He watched as Vanille pried herself off of Light, and watched the pinkette painstakingly get into the passenger seat. He closed the door gently after her and walked around the other side, praying to whatever higher powers that may exist to save his future sister in law.

**... ... ...**

Everything hurt.

Her body, her mind, her insides.

But most of all, hearing Vanille's ragged breathing as she tried to brave her tears, pained her the most. Because that made her heart ache worse than any seizure she had ever had.

Lightning sighed softly and slid down in her seat. Snow was a good driver, but her muscles still flexed painfully in every turn since she instinctively tried to keep herself steady. The only comfort was that the hospital was just around the corner.

She hated how everyone had looked at her since they all met up. She hated how she had needed Snow's help down the 18 flights of stairs. And she hated how she had made everyone she loved sad by simply existing lately.

Snow finally pulled into the parking lot belonging to the hospital. He swiftly got out of the car and appeared at her side to open the door and offer her an assisting hand.  
>She swatted his hand away and got out herself, it was painful, but she wanted to do it herself.<p>

Vanille took a tiny step forward, but Fang managed to catch her shoulder. The redhead shot her a confused stare, and Fang only shook her head slowly. Vanille directed her green eyes back to the pinkette. She could see the determent look in Lightning's eye, so she did as Fang implied and let the pinkette handle herself. Even though the struggle and pain was still evident in her expression.

This time around, they didn't need to take the stairs at least, and after just a few minutes they were all gathered in front of Dr. Phoenix's office.

Lightning took a deep breath and moved to knock on the door. Her knuckles didn't even touch the wood before the door swooped open, and Dr. Phoenix's amber eyes stared deeply into her own.

A collected gasp could be heard from all of them.

Dr. Phoenix didn't even bother with introductions, she went straight for the medical examination. Bringing out a tiny flashlight, she opened Lightning's eye and pointed the light straight at her pupil.

"Do you have any internal pains?" she asked as she moved the flashlight to the other eye.  
>"Uh, no."<br>"Have you experienced any irregular heart contractions?"  
>"No."<p>

Dr. Phoenix stood back up straight and brushed one of her golden locks from her face. "Step inside please, all of you if you wish," she said and walked inside. Lightning threw a slightly worried glance back at Serah over her shoulder. The younger sibling tried to smile reassuringly, but it was evident that she was a bit worried as well.

Dr. Phoenix walked straight up to her desk and rapidly typed something on the computer while the whole group stepped into the examination room made special office.

All except Lightning sat down on chairs placed in the back of the room. Lightning walked into the middle of the room and remained there while Dr. Phoenix finished typing on her computer.

When she was done, she straightened up and met Lightning's eyes, a small reassuring smile graced her lips. "Here you are," she said and grabbed a pair of plastic gloves from a package on her desk.

Lightning shrugged. "Here I am."

Dr. Phoenix's smile grew. "Let's get you back to health, shall we?"

Lightning felt the worry leave her then, her tense mind and aching muscles relaxed and she graced Dr. Phoenix with a small smile of her own.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<br>Don't forget to leave a review!_

_Constructive critizism is always highly appreciated!_  
><em>Thank you for reading!<em>


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

**Hiya!**

No, I'm not dead.  
>No, this story is not dead.<p>

Life just likes to beat me up and stress me out, and that goes out over my hobbies, such as writing and drawing.  
>I'm okay, I'll pull through, I always do, so don't worry. It's just the reason why I'm so very irregular in my updates and why I can disappear for months.<p>

I'm sorry about that.

I'm happy that there's so many of you sticking around though, it warms my heart to see people still care about this story and want to see it finished as much as I do!

So thank you, sincerely!

Enough about that though, let's get on with the next chapter, shall we?

_**I own nothing, but I would consider the**__** storyline mine, Dr. Phoenix is a made up character and all the others are property of Square Enix.**_

Now, please enjoy _Chapter Twenty Five_ of _Fatum Amor_!

* * *

><p>Vanille sat between Fang and Serah, tightly holding the younger pinkette's hand. Serah was running her thumb over the back of her hand as if to calm her, but glancing at her face told Vanille that Serah was just as nervous and worried as she herself was. Vanille glanced to Snow who sat holding Serah's other hand, he seemed worried as well. His face was fixed in a serious scowl. Turning the other way, she checked how Fang was doing. She had the same type of serious scowl as Snow, only slightly more worried. She had her arms tightly crossed over her chest and was chewing on the inside of her lips.<p>

Vanille sighed and sunk back down in her seat, with her green eyes directed at the back of the tall pinkette standing in the middle of the room. Dr. Phoenix had been asking her a bunch of questions and typed on the computer for a while. Vanille hadn't been listening so much, so she didn't know what they where talking about now.

Dr. Phoenix stood up and walked over to where Lightning was standing. Vanille saw her amber eyes wander up and down the younger girl in front of her with a tiny worried crease between her eyebrows.

"Would you kindly remove your shirt please, I'd like to see the extent of your bruises and listen to your heart rate and lunges," she asked gently. Lightning thought for a moment before nodding slowly. "Should I ask your friends to leave?"

"No, it's okay," Lightning said as she started unzipping her hoodie. Once she got it off, the tshirt she was wearing revealed only a few bruises on her neck and what was visible on her arms. They weren't too bad, but Vanille was still worried about what was hidden underneath the brown tshirt.

Lightning dropped the hoodie on a nearby chair and sighed softly as she grabbed the neck of her tshirt and pulled it over her head.

The muscles in her back and shoulders flexed and it was visible that she had been working out lately. Vanille knew that she would've most probably been excited by now, if it weren't for the blackening bruises that spread across the pinkette's ribs, shoulder blades and shoulders.

Standing there in her sweat pants and sports bra, Lightning tossed the tshirt onto her hoodie and kept her gaze on the floor. Flexing her shoulders uncomfortably.

Vanile flinched when she felt Serah put her free hand on top of her own.

Glancing at their joined hands, she saw that she was squishing Serah's fingers between her own. Swiftly, she released her painful grasp and glanced up, meeting the worried ocean blue eyes of her friend.

Vanille sniffed. She hadn't even realized that she was crying before Serah handed her a handkerchief, but as soon as she pressed it against her already wet cheeks, the tears started streaming and she had a hard time staying silent.

She felt Fang's warm hand on her back, rubbing her slowly in an attempt at calming her. Serah joined their hands again and squeezed her gently.

Vanille thanked the heavens for her beautiful friends, before looking back at the older pinkette in front of them all.

Lightning was eyeing her with worry over her shoulder as Dr. Phoenix put the stethoscope on different places on her body. The pinkette tilted her eyebrows in a sad expression that Vanille hadn't seen before, and then diverted her eyes to the floor in front of her feet again.

They all sat in silence as Dr. Phoenix finished her examination. She put the stethoscope around her neck and sighed softly, looking Lightning the the eyes.

"You seem healthy besides the bruises," Dr. Phoenix began slowly, rubbing her cheek in thought and staring into the air.

She fell into silence, and after a few beats, Lightning started fidgeting slightly. "May I put my shirts back on?" she mumbled.

"Of course! Sorry, please do!" Dr. Phoenix said and walked back behind her desk to type on her keyboard.

Lightning proceeded to put on her clothes, the pain in her muscles was evident in her movement. It was painful for Vanille to watch her struggle once her arms reached above her shoulders, she wanted to walk up to her and help her.

"Serah, Lightning, please come here for a bit," Dr. Phoenix expectantly looked up from her screen at them both. Serah released Vanille's hand then and did as she was asked. Together with her sister, she stood and listened to what the doctor told them.

Lightning's shoulders slummed and she sighed heavily, Vanille became worried again.  
>Dr. Phoenix finished speaking with them and nodded with a small smile. The Farron sisters both thanked her and turned to their friends while Dr. Phoenix got on the phone.<br>Snow, Fang and Vanille all stood up and met the pinkettes that came towards them. Vanille desperately fighting the urge to reach out and hold Lightning as she looked very disappointed.

"Dr. Phoenix have decided that it is best that Light stays here for _at least_ one night," Serah said and glanced around at all of them. Lightning crossed her arms and narrowed her brows, looking at the ground beneath her feet. "She has also decided that she should eat the heart medicine to prevent a relapse," she finished and sighed.

"I suppose it's fer the best," Fang said while eyeing her pink haired friend with a sympathetic frown. Serah and Snow both nodded.

The door opened then and a nurse poked her head inside. She looked at the group of teens and then at Dr. Phoenix. "You called doctor?" she asked with a kind smile.

"Ah yes," Dr. Phoenix got up from her chair and walked over to the nurse with a pack of paper files in her hands, she handed these to the nurse. "Would you be so kind as to show miss Farron to a room, please," she said and motioned for Lightning to come over. "I'll see you a bit later," she said and gently rubbed Lightning's shoulder.

The nurse nodded. "Miss Farron with friends then. Come with me please," she said and swiftly walked out the door.

Lightning quickly nodded thanks to Dr. Phoenix before hurrying with the rest of them to keep up with the nurse that had gotten a head start to the elevators.

Soon enough they reached the room that would be Lightning's for heavens know how long. They all stepped inside with the nurse and looked around while she made the bed.  
>Lightning crossed her arms and glanced around the room with a steady frown. This look exactly like the room the had spent forever in the last time she was at the hospital.<p>

A hand graced her fingertips and it made her jump a bit, and when she turned her head her eyes met forest green. Vanille's eyes were a bit puffy from crying, but she was smiling now. Lightning tried smiling back, but it didn't feel real so it just felt weird. The redhead didn't seem to mind, because she gently squeezed her arm with the same small smile.  
>"You have been here before, so I'm guessing I don't have to go through the alarm buttons and how to work the bed?" the nurse asked, pulling Lightning's attention towards her.<p>

Lightning nodded. "I'll be fine, I know what I'm doing," she said.

The nurse smiled and nodded. "Then I'll leave you to it, Dr. Phoenix said you should rest, so please make yourself comfortable while I get a change of clothes for you," she hurried out the door almost before finishing her sentence.

Lightning sighed and did as she was told. Walking over to the bed, she sat down on the edge and eyed her friends.

"You don't have to stay here, you know," she muttered at them.

"I'm not," Fang said and walked up to her. "I just had ta make sure ya were alive," the tan girl patted her friend on the head. "Call me if there's anythin I can do for ya, yes?" she flashed her pearly white teeth in a wide grin.

"I'll be fine," Lightning said and swatted the hand away from her head. She smirked when Fang chuckled.

"Aight aight," Fang removed her hand and instead put her fists at her hips and turned to Snow. "Am I gettin a ride or what?"

Snow looked from Fang, to Serah, to Lightning and then back to Serah. "I don't know, are you ready to leave, baby?" he asked the younger Farron sibling.

Serah looked at her sister. Lightning could see that she was in pain. She hated it.

Serah sighed and walked up to the older pinkette and threw her arms around her neck in a tight hug, a hug that Lightning retuned without a second thought. When they separated, Serah met her gaze. "It's gonna be boring without you around, you get better and come home soon, okay?" Lightning could hear that her voice was on the verge of cracking. She nodded silently. "Good," Serah said. Small tears started to tumble down her cheeks. Lightning could feel her skin crawl, she had caused this and she had no idea how to handle it. Serah wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I love you, please be okay," she sniffed.

Seeing her sister like this was heartbreaking. Lightning sighed heavily and pulled the younger pinkette into another tight hug. "I'll be fine," she mumbled. Serah sniffed against her shoulder while both Snow and Fang backed away for a bit to give them some space. The bulky blonde eyed his girlfriend sympathetically, while Fang avoided eye contact all together.

Vanille on the other hand, walked up to her friend and stroke her back. Lightning glanced up and met eyes with the redhead. Vanille looked sad as well, which didn't help Lightning at all. She felt like shit for putting the people she loved through this all over again.

Vanille must have noticed what turn her thoughts had taken, because she covered one of her hands with her own. Lightning glanced at the petite hand on top of her own, before looking back up at Vanille's forest green orbs. The redhead smiled gently, to which Lightning smiled back.

Serah sighed heavily and took a small step back. "I'm sorry," she mumbled and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I'll get going now," she said and took a last long look at her sister.  
>Lightning nodded. "Okay, see you in a few days I suppose," she said and smiled carefully. "I'll be fine," she repeated.<p>

Serah smiled sadly. Nodding, she turned around and interlaced her fingers with Snow's. Lightning saw him gently squeeze her hand before him, Serah and Fang walked over to the door. When they reached it, they turned around, and it wasn't until then that Lightning noticed that Vanille was standing by her side and not by Fang's.

"Are you comin' or what?" Fang asked and looked between the two.

Vanille shook her head. "I think I'll stay here for a bit," she said and nodded as if to convince herself.

Fang nodded and Serah smiled kind of knowingly. She winked at Vanille, who blushed and frowned.

"I'll call later," Serah said and waved. "Bye Lightning."

All of them waved at her and said their goodbyes, and as soon as the door closed silence settled in the room.

Lightning sighed softly. She didn't look forward to being here, she didn't even know for how long she would have to stay here. Getting back on the meds that made her head all fuzzy wasn't a big hit either.

A strangled sob ripped her from her thoughts.

Whipping her head to look at the redhead that was still facing the door, she saw that the girl was fighting back tears that still streamed down her cheeks. Her sobs were still audible even though she tried to hold them back as well.

She didn't know what to do, what to say, or even exactly why Vanille was crying.  
>Slowly reaching a shaking hand out —she cursed under her breath when her muscles protested a bit— she placed it on the petite girl's shoulder. Vanille looked at her then, and the utter grief in her eyes broke Lightning's heart. She swallowed the nervous lump that had mysteriously appeared in her throat. "You, uh, you okay?" her voice was small, as if some volume would shatter the very air around them.<p>

Vanille stared at her, suddenly expressionless for a second, before the mask shattered and she looked utterly heartbroken. Before she knew it, Lightning found herself squeezed between a shoulder and a thin neck.

A whiff of sweet pineapple hit her then, and mixed with the petite arms that clung to her, and the silky skin of the nape of Vanille's neck against her cheek, it almost blew her mind. Her body acted on it's own, and against the will of her protesting muscles, her arms rapidly wrapped around the tiny girl, pulled her close and held her tight against herself. Stopping herself right before she sunk her teeth into the delicate neck of the girl she adored.

Vanille had stopped sobbing and was instead breathing through small gasps, and Lightning could feel her fingernails digging into her back through the fabric of her hoodie. They stood still for a moment while both of them realized what was going on.  
>Lightning released her slowly. Vanille cleared her throat. Both of them had their eyes glued to the ground.<p>

"Sorry about crying," Vanille mumbled quietly.

"It's okay, I suppose it's a normal reaction when someone you're close to fall sick," Lightning replied.

Their cheeks grew warm and red when they thought about her words.

They remained silent for a while, until Lightning cleared her throat. "Do you want to watch tv or something?" she asked carefully and glanced up at the redhead, catching Vanille's fleeting glance. "It's the only thing you can really do around here anyway…"

Vanille nodded and her puffy green eyes sparkled as she smiled kindly. Lightning couldn't help but return that smile. They sat down together beside each other on the bed and started flipping through the channels. It was around six o'clock, so the news was on most channels.

"Well this was lame," Lightning muttered as she flipped through channel after channel with nothing but news anchors. Vanille chuckled, which made the corner of the pinkette's mouth flick upward briefly. "There we go," she muttered as she finally settled for a channel. "This is a movie, want to watch it?" she asked and turned to Vanille.

The redhead sat with her back leaned against the pillows at the top of the bed, and was fingering the hem of her shirt. "What is it?" she asked gently.

Lightning shrugged. "I don't know, I haven't heard of it. I don't even recognize the title," she said with her gaze once more directed towards the screen.

Vanille's gaze rested on the pinkette however. The flickering lights from the screen that highlighted her features and danced around in her eyes only made her even more beautiful to gaze at. Vanille found herself unable to stop smiling cheekily.

"It seems okay," Lightning hummed as she sat back and leaned against the pillows. They didn't have time to settle in however, because a knock on the door alerted them of the nurse's arrival. It was a different nurse, but she still had the hospital clothes in her arms. When she reached the bed, she put down a cup of water and a small plastic cup with pills in them on the bedside table.

"Here are your clothes," she smiled at them both as she handed over the hospital clothing. "And this is painkillers along with the medicine you used to take," she locked eyes with Lightning to make sure she understood her. "Guests are allowed until seven, so if you please," she nodded at Vanille.

"I'll be out by then, promise," Vanille smiled at the nurse, who smiled back.

"Good, if there's anything, I assume you know where the service button is," she waited for Lightning to nod before took her leave.

Once she had left, Lightning looked between the clothes and the pills with a frown.

Vanille looked at her. "Is it the same painkillers as you used to take?" she asked gently. Lightning nodded, still with a frown. "Oh, didn't they make you-"

"High as a kite, yes," Lightning muttered before reaching over Vanille and grabbing both the small plastic cup and the glass of water. "Here goes I suppose," she sighed before downing the pills and water. She made a disgusted face, Vanille kindly took the glass from her hand and placed it on the bedside table. Sitting back, they focused once again on the movie.

It was about two girls who accidentally stumbled upon a secret, magical world. Suddenly they gained magical powers and together they had to save what was left of this world before the evil lord destroyed it.

Vanille thought the movie was alright, exciting even. She had been watching attentively, and she had totally forgotten about leaving at seven.

A sudden knock on the door made her remember however, and when she looked at the watch, it read 8:12pm. She gasped and looked to Lightning. "I forgot about leaving at seven, they'll be really angry if they find me here now," she said, and soon realized that Lightning might not understand the gravity of the situation, since she seemed to stare right trough her skull. Vanille groaned in frustration.

"Hide under the bed."

Vanille blinked. "What?"

Lightning threw her a lob sided grin. "Let's hide you under the bed."

Vanille knotted her eyebrows as Lightning started chuckling. Before she knew it, she was on the floor and Lightning was practically stuffing her in under the bed. She complied however, and soon enough, Lightning was on the bed and the nurse was coming towards them. Vanille swallowed and hoped that Lightning's plan was solid, despite her drugged mind.

"Hello miss Farron," the nurse hummed. "You doing okay?" she asked and took out a thermometer. Lightning nodded enthusiastically. The nurse chuckled. "Good, that's good. I'm just gonna check your temperature. Are you feeling alright? Your hands and feet aren't cold or anything?"

Vanille couldn't believe it, the nurse had been in there for ten minutes, and she hadn't noticed her under the bed yet. This just might work.

The nurse gathered her things and started walking towards the door, Vanille felt like laughing, because this was crazy, but it was working.

Just before reaching the door however, the nurse turned on her heel, making Vanille's stomach fill with ice.

"Please change out of your clothes before retiring to bed, miss, and keep the volume down so the other patients remains undisturbed," she said, and left the room.

Vanille was flabbergasted.

Lightning was chuckling.

Getting out from underneath the bed, the redhead stood up and brushed off her knees. "It worked," she mumbled. "It worked, I can't believe it, that's something you see in movies or read in stories, but it worked," she ran her hand through her hair and chuckled in disbelief.

Looking over at Lightning, she was met with bright, excited eyes. Vanille didn't use this word when describing the pinkette that often, but she was actually really cute. Vanille felt like squealing and pinching her cheeks, but she opted to grin at her instead.

"Let's get back to the movie," Lightning mumbled, still with that cute excited smile on her lips. Vanille couldn't even begin to try and fight her grin at this point.

_Seems like I'm spending a night in the hospital_, she thought as she crawled up beside Lightning on the bed. There was no way she'd dare sneak out and risk getting caught.

Settling into the movie, the time ticked by.

Just a few minutes had passed, and when Vanille leaned forward and looked passed the focused pinkette and out the window, the sun was settling. Showering them in orange light as it colored the sky pink and golden. Vanille smiled, unable the keep it in when she witnessed such beauty.

Something in the far reaches of her vision caught her attention, and she turned her head slightly to check what it was. It was Lightning, staring at her with a mesmerized expression on her face. Vanille's smile turned a bit self-conscious, as she reached her hand up and tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. "What is it?" she asked, and felt a little bit embarrassed that her accent shone through just then.

"You're stunning," Lightning mumbled, and softly snapped her lips shut.

Vanille felt her heart hammer against her chest. "Thank you, that's really sweet," she couldn't hold back the smile that pulled at the corners of her lips.

A warm, soft sensation surprised her, and it took a few milliseconds to realize that Lightning had leaned forward to softly press a kiss on the side of her lip. It was gentle and delicate, as if Lightning had been afraid of scaring her away or breaking her if she kissed her harder. Vanille closed her eyes as the warmth spread from her lips to her cheeks and surged through her body to nestle in her heart and soul.

The milliseconds she spent absorbing the mere sensation was enough for the pinkette to start pulling away however, but Vanille wouldn't have that.

Turning in the bed so that she was facing Lightning, she swiftly caught the pinkette's retreating lips, before she leaned completely back against the pillows.

Lightning gasped softly in surprise, but almost instantly Vanille could feel her kiss her back.

Loosing track of time, Vanille lost herself in the feeling of their lips pressed together. It was an innocent and loving kiss, slow and warm. Lightning pulled at her legs, and Vanille found herself to be seated in her lap, how the pinkette managed without breaking their kiss was beyond her.

Lightning pulled away slowly and they locked eyes. Vanille smiled, more so because she couldn't stop herself.

Lightning gave her a small smile in return. "I cherish you a lot," she whispered.

Vanille couldn't breathe. She knew it was the drugs speaking, but that didn't mean Lightning didn't mean what she said. Happiness was bubbling throughout her body, so much so she felt completely unable to function properly. Her cheeks and chest were overheating.

Throwing her arms around Lightning's neck, she hugged her tightly.

"I cherish you too!" she shrieked.

* * *

><p><em>Pzzt!<br>__Don't forget to leave a review, I love reading what your thoughts and opinions!_


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